We live in a busy world. Dedicating time and effort to physical activities or following the proper diet is often difficult. This often leads to fatigue, lack of sleep, low immunity and heart disease. Is there a way to prevent such health issues? You may have heard of antioxidants and their effects on the overall health of individuals. But what are antioxidants, and how do they work?

What you need to know:

What are antioxidants?
Nutritional importance of antioxidants
What are free radicals?
The benefits of antioxidants to the body
Types of dietary antioxidants

What are antioxidants?

Our bodies contain billions of cells which constantly produce energy. The cells require this energy to perform their daily functions, such as maintaining a healthy metabolism, providing energy to carry out everyday activities, etc. However, a cell’s daily processes create waste products (free radicals, reactive oxygen species, etc.) that can damage cells. Antioxidants are nothing but chemicals that decrease the damaging effect of free radicals. The cells in your body also produce antioxidants to combat free radicals, but it may not be enough.

So, do we have external sources of antioxidants that can benefit our health? The answer is yes. We provide you with some of the best antioxidant food for your diet.

Nutritional importance of antioxidants

Typically, you’ll find the following plant-based foods to be rich in antioxidants.

Vitamin A: Dairy products such as milk, cheese, yogurt and eggs, liver.
Vitamin C: Citrus fruits (sweet lime, oranges, watermelon, strawberries) and vegetables (broccoli).
Vitamin E: Nuts, seeds, green leafy vegetables.
Beta-Carotene: with bright colours, such as carrots, spinach, and mango.
Lycopene: Tomatoes and watermelon.
Selenium: Rice, wheat, whole grains, cheese and corn.

What are free radicals?

There are also free radicals that are constantly created in our bodies. They can negatively impact our health if not for antioxidants. However, they have vital functions for our body processes. For instance, your immunity system utilizes free radicals to fight off infections within the body. Hence, you need to have a balance between your free radicals and antioxidant content.

When your free radicals content exceeds the number of antioxidants, it can lead to you getting into an oxidative stress state. In addition, unchecked oxidative stress can also damage essential molecules and DNA strands. In addition, damaged DNAs also make you more susceptible to different types of cancer and influence your ageing process.

Here are some of the factors that can cause the production of excessive free radicals and oxidative stress:

Toxins
High blood sugar levels
Alcohol intake
Air pollution
Excessive consumption of fatty acids
Excessive or too less oxygen in the body
Unchecked viral and bacterial infections
Excessive consumption of antioxidants

The benefits of antioxidants to the body

Here are the benefits of antioxidants you can reap if you have a balanced antioxidant content in your body.

Antioxidants fight heart disease: Abnormal oxidation of fat may increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Consuming more antioxidants benefits your fat metabolism, thereby preventing heart diseases.
Antioxidants keep your skin healthy: Your skin is exposed to ultraviolet rays from the sun throughout the day. This produces free radicals and reactive oxygen species that cause damage to cells as well as skin tissues. Antioxidants like beta-carotene and vitamin E counter the damaging effect of free radicals, keeping the skin healthy. They also limit the occurrence of wrinkles and prevent further skin damage.
Antioxidants may prevent neurological disorders: Free radicals can cause neuro-inflammation that leads to diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disorder. Even anxiety and depression have been linked to the damaging effect caused by free radicals. By controlling the levels of free radicals, antioxidants help alleviate the symptoms of neurological disorders.
Antioxidants boost the immune system: Certain reactive oxygen species damage the immune system, reducing the body’s ability to fight infections and diseases. Increase your immunity by including a variety of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables.
Enhances cognitive abilities: Antioxidants are known to improve your memory and reduce the risk of dementia. Antioxidant vitamins and minerals such as Vitamins C and E and zinc can reduce the effects of depression and anxiety. In addition, they are also responsible for enhanced blood circulation in your brain, resulting in seamless oxygen and nutrient delivery to neurons.
Aids in managing arthritis: According to a study, a balanced antioxidant content can help you manage the effects of rheumatoid arthritis. This is especially true because of its anti-inflammatory properties.
Enhances eyesight: A good dose of antioxidant vitamins can help you avoid age-related vision problems and eyesight degeneration. Consider consuming antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin. In addition, eating Vitamin-rich foods can also protect your retina and other vital eye structures, resulting in a much lessees risk for serious eye problems like night blindness.
Can manage and reduce acne: When free radicals travel through your body, it steals electrons from healthy cells. This results in inflammation, which in turn, gives rise to several skin conditions like dermatitis and acne. Consuming antioxidants can cancel out the effects of these free radicals by decreasing inflammation and protecting your skin cells by stopping toxins from entering the deep dermal layers.

Types of dietary antioxidants

Most antioxidants can be either structured into either water or fat-soluble. While the fat-soluble antioxidants target your cell membranes, water-soluble antioxidants are more effective in exercising in the fluid inside and outside cells. Here are some of the popular types of dietary antioxidants in your body.

Vitamin E: This fat-soluble antioxidant is vital for protecting deep cell membranes against damage because of free radicals.
Vitamin C: This water-soluble antioxidant is one of the most important dietary nutrients.
Flavonoids: This plant-based antioxidant can help you reap countless health benefits.

Consider consuming a balanced diet rich in antioxidants to fight against the ill effects of free radicals. Before including antioxidant-rich products in your daily meals, consult a physician to know the proper diet regimen that suits you. Along with antioxidants and diet, exercise to remain energetic and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

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