Antioxidants are good for your health? That is all we have been listening from a long time. But has it ever occured in your mind what are antioxidants exactly and how do they work inside our body?
An antioxidant is any molecule that slows down or prevents oxidation reactions, Molecules (both naturally occurring and man-made) that can prevent or slow cell damage. An “antioxidant” is actually not a substance; it’s a behavior. Any compound that can donate electrons and counteract free radicals has antioxidant properties.
Natural antioxidants are mainly found in fruits and vegetables, marine plants, and some seafood that eat marine plants. There are thousands of antioxidant compounds out there, but the most common dietary ones are vitamins A, C, and E, beta-carotene, and lycopene. Antioxidants can also be produced artificially and consumed in supplement form.
Now lets talks Free Radicals and Oxidation. We get exposed to free radicals because of various factors, such as the burning of sugars for energy and the release of digestive enzymes to break down food or when the body breaks down certain medicines or through pollutants.
Oxidation is a natural part of life. Oxidation reactions have been described as reactions in which an atom or molecule loses an electron.Excessively high antioxidant levels are detrimental to health. Oxidation reactions contribute to heart disease, declines in cognitive abilities, and cancer.
Exposure to oxygen (oxidation) can “break” atoms, so they end up with unpaired electrons, which make them chemical loose cannons. These bad boys, called free radicals, are constantly on the hunt for spare electrons to stabilize their mixed-up atoms. Free radicals latch onto electrons from other cells, which can create a chain reaction of free radical-ness. Stealing nearby electrons means that the cell next door loses some of its electrons, therefore becoming a free radical in its own right. Sounds tiring.
It’s rarely a good idea to mess with cell structure, and it can get worse when the cells undergoing oxidative stress contain DNA .Oxidative stress has been linked to serious diseases like cancer, heart disease, stroke, aging, diabetes, arthritis, fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s, autoimmune diseases, cognitive decline, and eye conditions like macular degeneration
If the human body were a cricket game, antioxidants would be the opening batsman. Antioxidants are one of the first lines of defense that the body employs to keep free radicals in check and prevent them from causing a domino effect of damage on other cells. Antioxidant compounds can “donate” electrons to unstable free radicals so they don’t have to snatch electrons from unsuspecting nearby cells. Antioxidants can also help repair cell damage caused by free radicals.
A healthy diet with plenty of antioxidant-rich fruits, vegetables, and grains is always beneficial.Diets high in vegetables and fruits, which are good sources of antioxidants, have been found to be healthy; however, research has not shown antioxidant supplements to be beneficial in preventing diseases.