The Roles of Antioxidants and Free Radicals

We hear about antioxidants constantly and know they have health benefits, but what are antioxidants? Simply said, antioxidants are chemicals that reduce oxidative damage to cells and biomolecules. A better way to explain the benefits of antioxidants is to describe what happens without them.

When an apple is sliced and turns brown in a short amount of time, this is oxidation. When I forget and leave my pruning shears outside for while and they rust, this is also oxidation. Our bodies aren't apples or pruning shears, but that same complicated process of chemical reaction occurs in our bodies.

The body produces energy at a cellular level with the food and drinks we consume. Each time we eat or drink, our bodies begin building up and then breaking down the substances on a cellular level. While this process is taking place, molecules that are missing an electron are made. These molecules are called free radicals.

The interesting thing about a free radical is their instability because they do not contain a full set of electrons. This now highly unstable free radical begins to steal an electron from anywhere available to get back in balance. Once it steals from another cell, it alters the chemical structure of that cell.

Free radicals are actually important to fight disease and toxins in the body. Unfortunately, free radicals become dangerous because they are sometimes over-produced. This causes an imbalance called oxidative stress.

The body then produces antioxidants to help fight the effects of free radicals. Antioxidants are generous and give up one of their electrons to keep things in balance. The antioxidants help keep the nearby cells from being damaged from free radicals.

Sometimes when the body is exposed to certain substances or is fighting infection, the natural production of antioxidants is not enough. Cellular damage will occur if there are not enough antioxidants to neutralize the effects of the free radicals. This damage accumulates over time and eventually can lead to cancer, diabetes, and other degenerative diseases.

This is the reason for increasing the amount of foods in the diet with high levels of antioxidants. The body then has a stronger defense system against the effects of free radicals. Consuming a diet with foods high in antioxidants appear to have healthy benefits. It's better to get antioxidants from whole food sources than to try to get them from supplements.

The foods that are high in antioxidants are naturally nutritious foods, so including them in our diets is a wise choice. The foods that seem to be highest in antioxidants are also rich in color, such as red, orange, yellow, purple and blue. Antioxidants are also found in grains, nuts, fish, poultry and some meats. Foods high in antioxidants contain lutein, beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E and selenium.

The antioxidant lutein is most often associated with promoting healthy eyes. Our diets should include about 4 to 8 milligrams of lutein a day but we normally only get about 1 to 2 milligrams daily. Lutein is plentiful in green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, turnip greens, collard greens and romaine lettuce. This antioxidant can also be found in lesser amounts in green peas, green beans, corn and egg yolks.

Beta-carotene is an antioxidant that's a member of the carotenoids. These are the brightly colored red, orange and yellow fat-soluble compounds found in many fruits, vegetables, and oils. Alpha, Beta and Gamma-carotenes are all considered provitamins because they can be converted to vitamin A. Some foods to include in the diet which are high in the beta-carotene are carrots, sweet potatoes, winter squash, cantaloupe, spinach, apricots, and broccoli. Usually the deeper and richer the color of a vegetable or fruit, the more beta-carotene it contains.

Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that has received much attention lately. Tomatoes are the main source of this antioxidant. It has also been discovered that the body absorbs more lycopene if the tomato sources are cooked. This means that tomato sauces, pastes and juices are all ways to consume more lycopene in the diet. This antioxidant is also found in pink grapefruit, guava and watermelon.

Selenium is a mineral instead of an antioxidant, but it does have similar enzymes. Selenium is found in the soil and varies by regions. Plants foods such as wheat and rice are the major sources of selenium. The amount in the soil and the products grown from that soil will determine how much of this mineral we consume. Animals that eat a diet of selenium-rich soils also contain higher amounts. Brazil nuts also contain a high amount of selenium. The United States consumes the largest amounts of selenium from breads and meats.

Vitamin A is abundant in liver, sweet potatoes, carrots, egg yolks, mozzarella cheese and milk. Many fruits and vegetables are high in vitamin C, especially citrus fruits. Vitamin C is also in cereals, fish, beef and poultry. Vitamin E is found in many oils, such as safflower, corn and soybean oils. It is also in nuts, wheat germ, mangos, and broccoli. Eating a varied diet rich in vegetables, fruits, berries, legumes and whole grains will ensure we get adequate amounts of antioxidants, as well as vitamins and minerals.