Antioxidants have become one of the big buzz words when it comes to health. You will most likely hear or read about them several times a day in food and drink commercials, in their newest attempts to market their products. Even cherry 7up is advertised as containing a splash of 'antioxidant'. So what exactly are these antioxidants, and how do they benefit our health?
Antioxidants protect us "against oxidants". Oxidants, also known as free radicals, are natural byproducts of the millions of oxygen based chemical reactions that go on inside us everyday. These reactions are necessary for vital biological functions which include releasing energy from the food we eat and proper functioning of the immune system. However, these oxidants are unstable reactive oxygen molecules that can have detrimental effects on our health. Due to their instability, oxidants damage the cells they come in contact with. This damage is involved in a wide range of health conditions including artherosclerosis, cancer, diabetes mellitus and arthritis. Fortunately, antioxidants are our natural defense against oxidants, provided we have a sufficient supply. If there is an imbalance in favor of oxidants, we will suffer from 'oxidative stress'. This can greatly increase our risk factor for developing the above mentioned diseases.
Cancer Protection
It is now widely excepted that many types of cancer are the result of oxidation. If DNA cells are under a constant bombardment from oxidants, they can eventually become damaged under the pressure. Damaged DNA will begin producing mutated cells instead of the healthy cells it is naturally programmed to create. This mutation is essentially cancer. The good news is that the greater our antioxidant levels the more likely we are to avoid such mutations. Antioxidants intercept many of these oxidants, reducing the amount of attacks. This gives DNA cells a 'breathing space' in which they can heal themselves before the damage is permanent.
Protection from Atherosclerosis
The evidence that the oxidation of LDL cholesterol creates atherosclerosis is pretty conclusive and accepted as fact. In this case the damage generated by oxidation 'hardens' the LDL cholesterol cells that are part of our artery walls. As this process progresses, the artery walls become harder and harder. This harder they get, the less flexible they get, the less able they are to pump blood properly - this is the condition atherosclerosis. Vitamins E and C have both been shown to have antioxidant properties that specifically reduce the effects of oxidation upon LDL cholesterol.
Increasing our Antioxidant Levels
We can increase our antioxidants by either eating foods with high antioxidant levels and by taking vitamins. Research has shown that getting our antioxidants from food sources rather than vitamins is more beneficial as they are more readily absorbed into the blood stream. However vitamin supplements still have great benefits, but should be an addition to a healthy diet rather than a substitute. A great way to get a powerful boost of food based antioxidants is through juicing. Most fruits and vegetables have high antioxidant content, and we can increase their concentration by making homemade juices. For a comprehensive list of juices and their nutritional benefits visit juicer recipes