A group of compounds referred to as antioxidants found in food are generating a lot of hype. They are capable of doing a lot, ranging from protecting the memory and fighting off diseases to acting as aging antidote. They form a natural way of fighting off potentially lethal molecules found in the human body, which come in forms of byproducts of chlorine, pesticides and plastics. The importance of an antioxidant diet is looked at below.
Antioxidants help in fighting oxidation, a normal chemical process that takes place in the body daily. Habits like smoking, taking alcohol or having stress can catalyze the process. Free radicals that are quite unstable molecules and likely to cause damage are formed in case the natural oxidation process is disrupted. The formation of destructive molecules of that type is triggered by oxygen, and can cause damage of body cells if not contained.
When the production of free radicals exceeds the protective defenses found in the body, oxidative stress occurs. This stress together with damage to cells caused by free radicals may initiate the initial stages of heart disease and cancer. The development of arthritis, Alzheimers disease, diabetes, cataracts, age-related blindness and kidney disease is also linked to free radicals.
The human body has its own defenses against such damage. It creates antioxidants for combating the free radicals as well as protecting the cells from being attacked by oxygen. They can safely interact with the radicals and halt the chain of damaging prior to the damage happening to the cells. These helpful molecules can be gained from the diet that a person consumes.
Some vitamins such as vitamins E and C are antioxidants, together with minerals like manganese and selenium. There are plant compounds like lycopene and carotene that also act as antioxidants. Many foods that can be included in a diet are good antioxidant sources. The main thing to bear in mind is that they are primarily found in plant foods. Manganese and selenium are found in seafood and meats in small quantities, but plant foods are the primary food antioxidant source.
There is a wide variety of antioxidants systems, but it has not yet been figured out how the different systems in human bodies work together to offer protection against free-radical damage. No single antioxidant is capable of providing the protection offered by the numerous antioxidants working together.
Eating foods that represent all the colors found in a rainbow is a recommended way of getting antioxidants in a diet. Every one of the colors has its own effects of the molecules. Vegetables and fruits that are either bright orange or deep yellow, such as carrots and sweet potatoes have one antioxidant type while red ones like tomatoes have others. Cabbage, broccoli and other green vegetables have packages of antioxidants, together with purple or blue ones like eggplants and blueberries.
Reducing the risks associated with certain diseases is what comprises the importance of an antioxidant diet. To come up with such diets, one has to incorporate vegetables, fruits and whole grains in large amounts. Failure to do will result in a higher likelihood of getting heart disease or cancer, which can be prevented easily.
Antioxidants help in fighting oxidation, a normal chemical process that takes place in the body daily. Habits like smoking, taking alcohol or having stress can catalyze the process. Free radicals that are quite unstable molecules and likely to cause damage are formed in case the natural oxidation process is disrupted. The formation of destructive molecules of that type is triggered by oxygen, and can cause damage of body cells if not contained.
When the production of free radicals exceeds the protective defenses found in the body, oxidative stress occurs. This stress together with damage to cells caused by free radicals may initiate the initial stages of heart disease and cancer. The development of arthritis, Alzheimers disease, diabetes, cataracts, age-related blindness and kidney disease is also linked to free radicals.
The human body has its own defenses against such damage. It creates antioxidants for combating the free radicals as well as protecting the cells from being attacked by oxygen. They can safely interact with the radicals and halt the chain of damaging prior to the damage happening to the cells. These helpful molecules can be gained from the diet that a person consumes.
Some vitamins such as vitamins E and C are antioxidants, together with minerals like manganese and selenium. There are plant compounds like lycopene and carotene that also act as antioxidants. Many foods that can be included in a diet are good antioxidant sources. The main thing to bear in mind is that they are primarily found in plant foods. Manganese and selenium are found in seafood and meats in small quantities, but plant foods are the primary food antioxidant source.
There is a wide variety of antioxidants systems, but it has not yet been figured out how the different systems in human bodies work together to offer protection against free-radical damage. No single antioxidant is capable of providing the protection offered by the numerous antioxidants working together.
Eating foods that represent all the colors found in a rainbow is a recommended way of getting antioxidants in a diet. Every one of the colors has its own effects of the molecules. Vegetables and fruits that are either bright orange or deep yellow, such as carrots and sweet potatoes have one antioxidant type while red ones like tomatoes have others. Cabbage, broccoli and other green vegetables have packages of antioxidants, together with purple or blue ones like eggplants and blueberries.
Reducing the risks associated with certain diseases is what comprises the importance of an antioxidant diet. To come up with such diets, one has to incorporate vegetables, fruits and whole grains in large amounts. Failure to do will result in a higher likelihood of getting heart disease or cancer, which can be prevented easily.
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