What are Antioxidants and Free Radicals? Part One
Antioxidants and Free radicals have become trendy buzz words in the world of nutritional health, but what are they?
'Antioxidants’ and ‘free radicals’ have become part of our common language these days, but there are many misunderstandings about what they are. I have a fantastic little book written by Carolyn Lister, a scientist at Crop and Food Research in Wellington. Here are a few interesting points from her book.
Free radicals are highly unstable, highly reactive molecules. Some form as a result of normal energy production (oxidation) within our cells. Some types of free radicals have specific purposes in body function. They are dangerous because they can cause damage to delicate substances and cell structures. Even though we depend on the process of oxidation for our life systems many of the molecules in the body are vulnerable to it.
What factors which initiate free radical reactions:
· Smoking – one the densest sources of free radicals
· Pollution
· Exercise! Yes! When we produce more energy (through normal oxidative processes) free radical production increases. Over exercising is the issue, rather than exercise itself. Statistically that is why moderate exercise improves longevity, while excessive exercise reduces life-span.
· Fatty foods. Over-heating oils ( as in deep frying) and some other food processes create free radicals.
· Preservatives and certain food additives.
· Sunlight – ultraviolet light
Obviously minimising free radical damage is not as simple as avoiding all these. There are certainly great benefits to our body in other ways from exercise and sunlight.
The cumulative effect of free-radical damage is now considered to be one of the most significant factors involved in aging. Free radicals can harm DNA and cause fats to stick more readily to our blood vessel walls. Free radical damage is involved in heart disease, cancers, brain disorders, neurological diseases, cataracts and arthritis.
Fortunately our bodies have various means for inactivating free radicals – and most involve a group of substances we have called ‘antioxidants’. They have the capacity to quench the dangerous free radical chain reactions. We produce some antioxidants within the body but many come from dietary sources.
In part two of this article I will write about the different types of antioxidants, what the best food sources are and why dietary sources are superior to supplementary forms.
In case this leaves you wondering what to eat until then, please be assured that fresh, brightly coloured fruits and vegetables are rich in anti-oxidants and a varied, plant based diet is the best overall source!
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