Every piece of health and nutritional discussion that relates to disease prevention involves the term ‘Antioxidants’. Antioxidants are considered the Czars when it comes to the prevention of many lifestyle ailments and can also counteract health hazards of smoking, stress and environmental factors. While we try to update ourselves with the latest complex information about these friendly compounds, have we ever tried to get to the roots of this entire Antioxidant story?
The primary role of Antioxidants is to deal with ‘oxidation’. As rightly said, ‘To win a battle, it is wiser to know your enemy well.’ Thus it becomes imperative to understand the process of Oxidation.
Oxidation is an interaction between oxygen and another molecule, eg. a cut apple gets discoloured(oxidized) when its nutrients are exposed to oxygen from the air. Similarly, the iron reacts with oxygen from the air and gets rusted by the process of oxidation. The process of oxidation results in the formation of unstable atoms called ‘free radicals’. Free radicals are highly reactive and can cause cellular damage to the blood vessels, immune cells, skin, and hair. These effects reflect as premature aging and innumerable health ailments.
The load of the harmful free radicals can occur from internal processes or external sources like smoking, pollutants/toxins, radiation, certain drugs, and pesticides and stress.
To maintain a disease-free, healthy state it is important to negate the presence of these harmful free radicals. This is where Antioxidants come to rescue and scavenge the free radicals to nullify their destructive effect.
An antioxidant is not a particular nutrient but a range of compounds that are synthesized in the body(in the form of enzymes or other chemicals) and more often need to be supplied continuously through a healthy diet.
Many nutrients act as antioxidants for eg Vitamins like A, C, E, K, Minerals like Zinc, Copper, Selenium and others like Carotenoids, Polyphenols, Sulphur and Allium compounds to name a few.
Antioxidants are found in a range of foods in varying types and amounts. Colourful and leafy Veggies like Bell peppers, Red cabbage, Broccoli, Carrots, Kale, Mustard greens, Spinach, Arugula, Lettuce and other veggies like Onions, Leeks, and Garlic to name a few. Most Fruits like Apples, Papaya, Pomegranate and most berries like Goji berries, Strawberries, Blueberries are loaded with antioxidants. Nuts and seeds that top the antioxidant list are Pecans, Walnuts, Chestnuts, Chia, Flax, Hemp, Sesame, Sunflower, Pumpkin. Dark Chocolate, Green Tea, Matcha, Red Wine are a few of the other Antioxidant-rich Superfoods.
So, colour your food palette with a stellar of superfoods and let these little Czars rule your plan for a healthy existence!
Read our blogs on:
Selenium – The Secret to Longevity
