Antioxidants and their benefits. Sources of Antioxidants
What are free radicals?
These are by-products of respiration and metabolic processes. These are unstable complexes that cause a chain oxidation reaction that damages the cells and tissues of our body in the form of diseases and premature aging.
More common examples of free radicals: metal rusts, fruits deteriorate, oil becomes bitter.
Just as metal rusts due to oxidation, so we “oxidize” with age. Today it is proved that most diseases arise as a result of the body’s reaction to oxidative processes.
Free radicals damage cell walls, and as a result, cell internals become vulnerable to bacteria, viruses, and cancer-causing cells.
Two sources of free radicals:
• Those that are produced by normal body processes;
• Eating disorders, smoking, solar radiation, radiation, ultraviolet rays, water and air pollution, other environmental factors, pesticides, industrial toxins, drugs, etc.
Antioxidants fight free radicals!
Antioxidants are nutrients found in our foods that can prevent or slow down the oxidative reactions (damage) of our body, stabilizing free radicals, thereby protecting cells from damage.
How to maintain and strengthen the immune system?
Nature herself took care to protect people from harmful microbes and viruses by creating an immune system. It is she who does not allow diseases to defeat the body. Attacks on the body are constant. Snacks “on the go”, poor-quality food, lack of many essential nutrients in it, lack of movement, stress, smoking, alcohol, poor ecology and much more leads to weakening of the body’s defenses.
Enrich your diet with antioxidants. Antioxidants increase immune defense and therefore reduce the risk of infection. In order for the natural antioxidant system of our body to function, we need to get enough nutrients from food that contain antioxidants and their components.
Of the many antioxidants, vitamins A, C, E and the trace element selenium are especially important.
Two ways to provide the body with antioxidants:
1. Antioxidant-rich foods
2. Nutrient Supplements Rich in Antioxidants
An excellent source of antioxidants is fruits and vegetables. They also provide us with essential vitamins and minerals.
Fruits include cranberries, red grapes, peaches, raspberries, strawberries, red currants, figs, cherries, pears, guava, oranges, apricots, mangoes, melons, watermelons, papaya and tomatoes.
With the loss of water from fruits, antioxidants are stored in them, so dried fruits are the same sources of antioxidants as fresh fruits. They can be easily carried with you in your purse, briefcase or car. You should take a closer look at these fruits: dried pears, plums, apples, peaches, figs, dates and raisins.
Broccoli, spinach, carrots and potatoes contain a large amount of antioxidants, and these products are no less rich in them: artichokes, cabbage, asparagus, avocados, beets, radishes, lettuce, sweet potatoes, squash, pumpkin, greens and cabbage.
The antioxidants found in plants are called phytonutrients. It is they who give fruits and vegetables a different color. For example, orange-colored vegetables such as carrots and pumpkins are rich in vitamin A (beta-carotene). It is important to consume 3-5 servings of fruits and vegetables from different color groups every day to enrich your body with a basic set of antioxidants.
Orange-yellow – oranges, tangerines, peaches, papaya, nectarines.
Orange – carrots, mangoes, apricots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes.
Red-purple – red grapes, plums, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, blueberries, strawberries.
Red – tomatoes and tomato products, pink grapes, watermelon.
Yellow-green – spinach, avocado, honey melon, yellow – corn, green peas.
Greens – broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, Chinese cabbage.
White-green – garlic, onions, chives, celery, leeks, asparagus.
Use various spices in cooking. Spices rich in antioxidants include cinnamon, oregano, turmeric, cumin, parsley, basil, curry powder, mustard, ginger, black pepper, chili powder, paprika, garlic, coriander, onion and cardamom. Also include herbs such as sage, thyme, marjoram, tarragon, peppermint, oregano, thyme, basil and dill. Include these herbs and spices in your dishes, they will give it a pleasant taste and enrich it with a high content of antioxidants.
Cornflakes, oatmeal, and cereal bars are also sources of antioxidants, as are walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, almonds, and cashews.
We get a lot of antioxidants with drinks. Apple juice, cider, tomato juice, pomegranate juice, grapefruit juice, green tea and herbal tea Thermojetics are excellent sources of antioxidants. Please note that adding milk to coffee or tea blocks the action of antioxidants.
Processed foods contain less antioxidants than fresh and raw foods, as foods can be exposed to oxygen during these processes.
Unfortunately, most of us still do not get the amount of antioxidants necessary for the body. For example, to get the daily intake of vitamin C, you need to eat a kilogram of apples, and to get the daily intake of copper, you need to eat half a kilogram of nuts. What to do is actually unrealistic.
And then what to do? Special dietary supplements come to our aid . Their advantage is that they help protect body cells and enhance the action of other antioxidants, supporting the immune system. They create an antioxidant cascading effect, help restore other antioxidants and provide a powerful and long-lasting effect. Another plus is that they contain various vitamins.