| Antioxidants exist as minerals, vitamins and other compounds in foods. Antioxidants are a broad group of compounds that destroy or neutralize single oxygen molecules, also called free radicals, in the body, thereby protecting against oxidative damage to cells. Antioxidant reduces the rate of particular oxidation reactions in a specific context, where oxidation reactions are chemical reactions that involve the transfer of electrons from a substance to an oxidising agent. Antioxidant is something that prevents or slows down oxidization. They are essential to good health and are found naturally in a wide variety of foods and plants, including many fruits and vegetables.
Antioxidants are particularly important in the context of organic chemistry and biology: all living cells contain complex systems of antioxidant chemicals and/or
enzymes to prevent chemical damage to the cells' components by oxidation. The key roles of antioxidants
include protecting your body cells from damage. Often there can be a vitamin shortage in your body that is causing you maybe to not recover they way you should be. With the help of vitamins and foods you can make up the difference that you need. Often you use the powerful selection of herbal or natural products to help put your body in greater functioning capacity. Benefits of antioxidants include normalizing blood clotting, restoring libido and even helping preventing other diseases.
There are many different types of free radicals in the body a variety of antioxidants are required to protect against them. Antioxidants are a broad group of compounds which includes nutrients and phytochemicals, which is why incorporating a wide range of plant foods into your diet is recommended. Antioxidants serve to mitigate the harmful effect of free radicals by giving up an electron and neutralizing them in the process. Although we produce many of our own
antioxidants within the body, food provides an essential source for these key players of our defense system. Vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients all have antioxidant properties. The most common examples include vitamins A, C and E, selenium and zinc, carotenoids, flavonoids, co-enzyme Q10, alpha-lipoic acid and glutathione.
Researchers have found high correlation between oxidative damage and the occurrence of disease. For example, LDL oxidation is associated with cardiovascular disease.
Antioxidants can help slow down or prevent the oxidation process, and thus help prevent or repair damage done to your body's cells by oxygen. Studies suggested that high blood concentrations of antioxidant vitamins or dietary intake of antioxidants could protect against cardiovascular disease and cancer. In another study researchers found that antioxidants helps in damaging the brain tumors because they appeared to protect cancer cells.
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