A Study Of The Importance Of An Antioxidant Diet For A Healthy Body
A group of compounds referred to as antioxidants found in food are generating a lot of hype. They are capable of doing a lot, ranging from protecting the memory and fighting off diseases to acting as aging antidote. They form a natural way of fighting off potentially lethal molecules found in the human body, which come in forms of byproducts of chlorine, pesticides and plastics. The importance of an antioxidant diet is looked at below.
Antioxidants help in fighting oxidation, a normal chemical process that takes place in the body daily. Habits like smoking, taking alcohol or having stress can catalyze the process. Free radicals that are quite unstable molecules and likely to cause damage are formed in case the natural oxidation process is disrupted. The formation of destructive molecules of that type is triggered by oxygen, and can cause damage of body cells if not contained.
When the production of free radicals exceeds the protective defenses found in the body, oxidative stress occurs. This stress together with damage to cells caused by free radicals may initiate the initial stages of heart disease and cancer. The development of arthritis, Alzheimers disease, diabetes, cataracts, age-related blindness and kidney disease is also linked to free radicals.
For protection against such damage, the human body has defenses. It generates antioxidants for eliminating the free radicals and to protect cells from oxygen attack. Safe interaction with the radicals results in the chain of damage being slowed down before it can move on to the cells. To gain such helpful molecules, all one has to do is include them in a diet.
Some minerals like manganese and selenium together with particular vitamins like Vitamins C and E are antioxidants. In addition, plant compounds such as carotene and lycopene also contain antioxidants. Numerous food types are notable antioxidant sources and can be added to a diet. Although the above mentioned compounds are contained in seafood and meats in minimal amounts, plant foods offer the main antioxidants source.
Antioxidant systems come in a wide variety. However, how they work within the human body as a team is something that scientists are yet to know. The bottom line is that one antioxidant cannot do the work of many others by itself.
Eating foods that represent all the colors found in a rainbow is a recommended way of getting antioxidants in a diet. Every one of the colors has its own effects of the molecules. Vegetables and fruits that are either bright orange or deep yellow, such as carrots and sweet potatoes have one antioxidant type while red ones like tomatoes have others. Cabbage, broccoli and other green vegetables have packages of antioxidants, together with purple or blue ones like eggplants and blueberries.
Reducing the risks associated with certain diseases is what comprises the importance of an antioxidant diet. To come up with such diets, one has to incorporate vegetables, fruits and whole grains in large amounts. Failure to do will result in a higher likelihood of getting heart disease or cancer, which can be prevented easily.
Antioxidants help in fighting oxidation, a normal chemical process that takes place in the body daily. Habits like smoking, taking alcohol or having stress can catalyze the process. Free radicals that are quite unstable molecules and likely to cause damage are formed in case the natural oxidation process is disrupted. The formation of destructive molecules of that type is triggered by oxygen, and can cause damage of body cells if not contained.
When the production of free radicals exceeds the protective defenses found in the body, oxidative stress occurs. This stress together with damage to cells caused by free radicals may initiate the initial stages of heart disease and cancer. The development of arthritis, Alzheimers disease, diabetes, cataracts, age-related blindness and kidney disease is also linked to free radicals.
For protection against such damage, the human body has defenses. It generates antioxidants for eliminating the free radicals and to protect cells from oxygen attack. Safe interaction with the radicals results in the chain of damage being slowed down before it can move on to the cells. To gain such helpful molecules, all one has to do is include them in a diet.
Some minerals like manganese and selenium together with particular vitamins like Vitamins C and E are antioxidants. In addition, plant compounds such as carotene and lycopene also contain antioxidants. Numerous food types are notable antioxidant sources and can be added to a diet. Although the above mentioned compounds are contained in seafood and meats in minimal amounts, plant foods offer the main antioxidants source.
Antioxidant systems come in a wide variety. However, how they work within the human body as a team is something that scientists are yet to know. The bottom line is that one antioxidant cannot do the work of many others by itself.
Eating foods that represent all the colors found in a rainbow is a recommended way of getting antioxidants in a diet. Every one of the colors has its own effects of the molecules. Vegetables and fruits that are either bright orange or deep yellow, such as carrots and sweet potatoes have one antioxidant type while red ones like tomatoes have others. Cabbage, broccoli and other green vegetables have packages of antioxidants, together with purple or blue ones like eggplants and blueberries.
Reducing the risks associated with certain diseases is what comprises the importance of an antioxidant diet. To come up with such diets, one has to incorporate vegetables, fruits and whole grains in large amounts. Failure to do will result in a higher likelihood of getting heart disease or cancer, which can be prevented easily.
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