Overcoming Health Benefits of Antioxidants
Overcoming Health Benefits of Antioxidants – Health food, fitness and body building industries have been telling us about what is called antioxidants and antioxidant foods for years. Over the years, this or that antioxidant antioxidants should be a cure-all for diseases caused by free radicals running around your body. Free radicals are supposed to be caused by pollution in our environment, among others. This article will examine some of the thinking behind both free radicals and antioxidants. future articles will look at specific antioxidant supplements and foods that claim to be effective in providing health benefits.
Antioxidants work by neutralizing free radicals in the body. Production of free radicals is a normal part of life, actually a byproduct of people just breathes. However, scientists have attempted to show that the production of free radicals in the body is exacerbated by factors such as UV-radiation, alcohol, smoking and “normal” pollution that causes human existence. Under normal circumstances, the body’s natural defense systems neutralize free radicals making them harmless. However, free radicals can beat back the body’s ability to neutralize them. This can allow them to damage the body’s cells. Scientific research has evidence that the damage from free radicals contributes to aging and can cause various diseases, including cancer and heart disease.
Generally humans consume antioxidants in food in quantities that damage of free radicals which contain as much as possible humanitarian. In fact, has been estimated that there are more than 4,000 antioxidants found in common foods that humans eat. The most famous of these are Vitamins C and E, beta-carotene and Selenium. However, not everyone has good eating habits or even the ability (for whatever reason) to take in enough antioxidants through normal food intake and supplements are made. Even when people hear the “antioxidant” many think “supplements.”
Fortunately, supplements are not the only way, or even the best way to ensure an adequate intake of antioxidants. This can usually be done eating citrus fruits, dark green vegetables, leafy vegetables, strawberries, blueberries and potatoes, beans and grains. Even frozen fruits and vegetables are good sources of antioxidants because these foods often come packaged with other complementary nutrients. This is the best and most natural way to ensure you get the antioxidants the body needs the right amount.