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What is an Antioxidant and how does it affect us?
Antioxidants are molecules in food that are referred to as “free radical scavengers”. They look to neutralize free radicals by donating one of their own electrons to the free radical, ending the electron-"stealing" reaction. Antioxidants can function with or without that electron so it does not look to “steal” another electron, therefore stopping the chain reaction.
Where do Antioxidants come from?
The more popular antioxidantsare Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Selenium. You can find antioxidants in foods such as:
Vitamin A
Carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and bright fruits and vegetables.
Vitamin C
Citrus fruits like oranges grapefruits, etc. It can also be found in veggies like broccoli, bell peppers, strawberries and green leafy vegetables.
Vitamin E
Nuts, whole grains, green leafy vegetables.
Selenium
Red meat, eggs, chicken, fish, shellfish.
You can also find antioxidants in foods such as red wine, tea, cooked tomatoes, oatmeal and beans.
Conclusion
Our bodies are bombarded by thousands of free radicals every day from ultraviolet sun rays, foods we eat, smog, cigarettes, stress from work, stress from the gym. That’s why it is so important to consume a balanced diet consisting of 5 fruits and vegetables a day to stop the oxidation process. The oxidation process is what causes our bodies to break down, get wrinkles, heart disease, cancer, diabetes and etc. Some scientists are even investigating the effects of antioxidants on Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases because of the high levels of polyunsaturated lipids in the brain is very susceptible to free radicals *
*Reference
Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antioxidant#Health_effects
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