Why Are Antioxidants Important?

News about antioxidants and their importance to good health and proper nutrition are commonly seen on the television, or on the radios. Antioxidants, according to studies and researches done by scientists, have revealed hopes from preventing heart disease to slowing the degeneration of the eyes and brain.

Health is very important to everyone, and the benefits of antioxidants have been an important to many peoples maintenance of health. It is explained that antioxidants become effective because of their ability to neutralize a group of highly reactive, highly destructive compounds. These compounds are known as free radicals.

The production of free radicals is actually a normal process of the body.? The compounds free radicals are normally neutralized by the body?s natural defense system, making them harmless to the body.It is of note however, that anything that weakens the body?s natural defenses could likewise weaken its capability to fight off these said free radicals. The weakening agents mentioned would include factors such as environmental pollution, excess UV radiation and even excessive consumption of alcohol.

At times that free radicals are not appropriately neutralized, the body is left vulnerable to damage. It is seen in studies that these free radicals can also damage the structure and function of microscopic cells in the body. It has also been found that free radicals may contribute to the aging process and may even have a significant role in many illnesses, including serious health conditions like cancer and heart disease.

Health practitioners often tell that while vitamin supplements containing antioxidants? are actually important and beneficial to one?s health, there is no substitute for a healthy diet. It is estimated that foods contain more than 4,000 compounds that have antioxidant qualities. They explain that by eating a healthy diet, we can always make use of these antioxidant properties for our health maintenance and prevention of diseases. In addition to the well known antioxidants like vitamin C and vitamin E, healthy foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains also contain lots of lesser antioxidants. Some scientists are discovering now the vital role these lesser known antioxidants in keeping the human? body healthy.

Some of the dietary sources for the major antioxidant vitamins include vitamin C, vitamin E, beta carotene and selenium. Vitamin C is perhaps the most studied of all the antioxidant vitamins. It is also known as ascorbic acid. This said vitamin is a water soluble vitamin. They are actually found in all bodily fluids. Vitamin C is believed to be one of the human body?s first lines of defense against many types of opportunistic infections and common bodily diseases. Since vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin, it is not stored in the body. Thus, it must be consumed in proper amounts every day. Good dietary sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits. Common citrus fruits are oranges and grapefruits,? strawberries, and vegetables like green peppers, broccoli, cabbage and potatoes.

Vitamin E is another major antioxidant vitamin. It is called a fat soluble vitamin. Vitamin E is stored in the liver and other tissues of the body. The said vitamin has been studied for its health benefits like delaying the aging process. They are also helpful to common conditions like in healing of a sunburn. Vitamin E is considered an important antioxidant. It is highly stressed that our diet must contain sufficient amounts of vitamin E for health reasons. Good dietary sources of this important nutrient include wheat germ, nuts, seeds, whole grains, vegetable oil, fish liver oil and green leafy veggies.

Beta carotene is another good antioxidant source. It is the nutrient that gives flamingos their distinctive pink color. This antioxidant source beta-carotene is the most widely studied of over 600 carotenoids that have been discovered. The role of beta-carotene in nature is actually to protect the skins of dark green, yellow and orange fruits from the damaging effects of the sun. Many scientists consider that beta-carotene plays a similar caring role in the human body. Sources of beta-carotene in the diet include such foods and vegetables like carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, broccoli, tomatoes, collard greens, kale, cantaloupe, peaches and apricots.

Another healthy antioxidant source is selenium. It is one of the most important minerals in a person?s healthy diet. Selenium has been studied for its ability to prevent cell damage in the body. Scientists see this ability to protect cells from damage as possibly important in the prevention of many serious diseases such as cancer.