Every day consumers are bombarded with dire warnings about their health. They are urged to buy a host of supplements that will help reduce their risk for contracting heart disease, cancer, asthma and a host of other scary conditions. Among many other modern phrases, more and more people want to know exactly what is an antioxidant. It seems that this is a key to good health.
In order to survive every living entity needs oxygen. The oxygen plays an important role in providing the entity with energy. This is done by metabolizing the nutrients that the entity consumes. In the case of humans this may be carbohydrates, fats and a variety of proteins. Unfortunately, oxygen can become dangerous. This happens when it becomes part of potentially dangerous molecules called free radicals.
Free radicals are molecules that are unstable. This happens when the bond that holds the cell become weak, resulting in a molecule that has an unpaired electron. They are formed during exercise but there are many other causes for the formation of free radicals. These causes include smoking, too much exposure to the sun, pollution and even certain over the counter drugs.
Free radicals attack healthy cells in order to gain back the missing electron. Of course, this results in a healthy cell becoming a free radical itself. This chain reaction can progress very swiftly and can cause the destruction of millions of molecules. In many cases, free radicals are responsible for the development of heart disease, asthma, cancer and even premature ageing.
With free radicals raging through the body, causing damage and disease, only antioxidants can cause the process to cease. They are able to give an electron to free radicals without the danger of turning into a free radical themselves. This is because they will remain stable regardless of whether they possess the additional electron or not. In this way the chain reaction can be broken and the free radicals are absorbed into the antioxidants.
There are many foods that are rich in this miracle substance. Not all foods contain the same level, however. Tomatoes, all types of berries, green vegetables, beans, broccoli and prunes are just a few foods that contain high levels. The potency of the various foods to absorb free radicals is measured on the ORAC scale. Tomatoes, for example, enjoy a score of sixty while cherries score a hundred points, making the latter more powerful.
The pace of modern life, the excessive use of preservatives and the fact that so many types of food are processed makes it almost impossible for the human body to produce enough to deal with free radicals. The pace of modern life and the high stress levels that are becoming common also contribute in a negative way. That is why it is necessary to consume foods that are rich in this almost miraculous substance.
The most useful answer to the question on what is an antioxidant is perhaps that it is something everybody needs to consume every single day in order to stay healthy. Rampaging chains of free radicals can cause disease but small lifestyle changes can also go a long way in helping to prevent health problems. Food rich in this substance also hold many other positive advantages.
In order to survive every living entity needs oxygen. The oxygen plays an important role in providing the entity with energy. This is done by metabolizing the nutrients that the entity consumes. In the case of humans this may be carbohydrates, fats and a variety of proteins. Unfortunately, oxygen can become dangerous. This happens when it becomes part of potentially dangerous molecules called free radicals.
Free radicals are molecules that are unstable. This happens when the bond that holds the cell become weak, resulting in a molecule that has an unpaired electron. They are formed during exercise but there are many other causes for the formation of free radicals. These causes include smoking, too much exposure to the sun, pollution and even certain over the counter drugs.
Free radicals attack healthy cells in order to gain back the missing electron. Of course, this results in a healthy cell becoming a free radical itself. This chain reaction can progress very swiftly and can cause the destruction of millions of molecules. In many cases, free radicals are responsible for the development of heart disease, asthma, cancer and even premature ageing.
With free radicals raging through the body, causing damage and disease, only antioxidants can cause the process to cease. They are able to give an electron to free radicals without the danger of turning into a free radical themselves. This is because they will remain stable regardless of whether they possess the additional electron or not. In this way the chain reaction can be broken and the free radicals are absorbed into the antioxidants.
There are many foods that are rich in this miracle substance. Not all foods contain the same level, however. Tomatoes, all types of berries, green vegetables, beans, broccoli and prunes are just a few foods that contain high levels. The potency of the various foods to absorb free radicals is measured on the ORAC scale. Tomatoes, for example, enjoy a score of sixty while cherries score a hundred points, making the latter more powerful.
The pace of modern life, the excessive use of preservatives and the fact that so many types of food are processed makes it almost impossible for the human body to produce enough to deal with free radicals. The pace of modern life and the high stress levels that are becoming common also contribute in a negative way. That is why it is necessary to consume foods that are rich in this almost miraculous substance.
The most useful answer to the question on what is an antioxidant is perhaps that it is something everybody needs to consume every single day in order to stay healthy. Rampaging chains of free radicals can cause disease but small lifestyle changes can also go a long way in helping to prevent health problems. Food rich in this substance also hold many other positive advantages.
