What To Expect From Antioxidant Supplements?

By Anna Burns


A number of doctors are suggesting vegetables and fruits to be included in a regular diet. There are many great reasons to the suggestion, but one of the reasons is definitely the antioxidants that almost all vegetables and fruit supply. But what exactly are antioxidants? What makes them extremely important?

Oxidation occurs all around us from piece of fruit turning brown to rust on a metal pipe. It is a natural activity which also exists inside a body. Our body generally handles oxidation well, but sometimes it leads to cell damage. The damaged cells are known as free radicals. They are molecules with unpaired electron. Because it is unpaired, it will attempt to steal an electron from another molecule. Anytime this reaction becomes intense, it may result in many health concerns most notably cancer, cardiovascular disease and arthritis. Radiation, cigarette smoke and pollution add to the development of free radicals as well. Antioxidants are substances that counteract free radicals.

By offering an electron to free radicals, antioxidants minimize cell damage. It is vital to consume foods that give antioxidants on a regular basis to stay in good health. A lot of fruit and veggies are a wonderful source of antioxidants thanks to vitamins C and E. The vitamins are recognized to be among the best antioxidants. Vegetables and fruit such as strawberry, kiwi, papaya, spinach, bell pepper, and broccoli are a fantastic source of vitamin E and C. However these vitamins are not the only supply of antioxidants and in reality they are not the utmost source.

More and more dieticians agree with the fact that Epigallocatechin or often called EGCG is a more powerful provider of antioxidants compared to vitamins E and C. A lot of research workers agree that EGCG is 100 times more beneficial than vitamin C and 25 times more beneficial compared to vitamin E in protecting against free radicals. EGCG is a compound contained in tea. A number of the recognized green tea extract positive effects are preventions against weight gain, LDL cholesterol, depression, heart disease and cancer.

There have been many lab tests pertaining to the effects of green tea on cancer cells. The results suggest the dosage of 300mg of EGCG on a daily basis to be the ideal amount. A cup contains roughly 100mg of EGCG. Much more research studies are in the process, but for right now 3 cups a day looks like an ideal amount.

There are a variety of methods to take green tea. Conventional way is to brew and to drink the tea. This is good particularly if consumed with a meal. One more preferred way is to add green tea extract powder to drinking water. Blending lemon with EGCG has been known to increase the health benefits. A convenient way is to consume green tea tablets. This is good for people not liking the bitter tea taste.




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