Free Radicals: Inviting Antioxidants over for Dinner

This antioxidant article first appeared in the November 2004 issue of the Zone Net newsletter.

Adding more antioxidants to our diets is especially beneficial to our bodies and our immune systems during times when we are more likely to come into contact with cold or flu viruses in packed shopping malls and other busy places. What exactly are antioxidants? Well, Antioxidants are basically natural compounds which protect the body from free radical damage to the cells. This process is known as oxidation. Just as most metals oxidize and rust, our bodies do the same in a certain sense. The oxidation then results in certain chemical changes which can impair the healthy process that should be going on.

It should be noted that free radicals are produced in the body every day from the different chemical reactions that happen in each individual section part of the body.

You should also understand that free radicals are also produced outside of the body, thus affecting us through sun-rays, toxic chemicals in drinking water, secondhand and firsthand cigarette smoke, and different types of pollution. It is believed by some researchers that free radicals are a major culprit in the aging process and in some illnesses. Antioxidants are there to neutralize free radicals but due to the substantial numbers of free radicals it is vital to incorporate antioxidants through certain foods and/or dietary supplements so as to support our natural defenses.

Antioxidants are generally abundant in foods which are rich in colors. So foods which contain deep reds, lush greens, and interesting blues are usually antioxidant rich. Top foods in terms of antioxidant power include cranberries, blueberries, spinach, black beans, strawberries, grapes and sweet potatoes(the deeper the orange the better), among others.

Both red wine and grape juice are well known to have have a relatively high antioxidant value. It is also worth noting that many spices are antioxidant rich as well.

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