Benefits Of Antioxidants

So what exactly are the benefits of antioxidants and what can antioxidants do for you?

Simply put antioxidants found in food protect your cells against the damage done by free radicals or oxidative stress.

Antioxidant Foods Limit Damage To Cells

The National Cancer Institute suggests eating “5-A-Day for Better Health” referring to a mix of products that will, it believes, provide the antioxidant benefits you need to keep you on track for good health.

One of the great things about antioxidant foods is that you don’t have to work too hard to seek them out. Mother Nature has presented some of the healthiest fruits and vegetables as a highly colorful group.

They are not only easily identifiable, they are also appetizing!

Antioxidant Benefits of Organic Food

But despite an abundance of fresh fruit, vegetables and grains, all great sources of antioxidants, the majority of people today are micronutrient- malnourished because of vitamin and mineral deficient soils.

Obviously it makes sense that the fruit, vegetables and grains cultivated in these deficient soils are also lacking in the nutrients you need for vibrant or optimal health.

That’s why it’s important and makes sense to choose certified organic produce whenever possible and eat a balanced healthy diet of antioxidant foods to make sure you are getting the nutrition and antioxidant benefits your body needs.

Which Antioxidant Foods Do You Like Best?

There are good sources of antioxidants in the dark greens of kale, various lettuces, and broccoli. You also have the oranges of sweet bell peppers, carrots, pumpkins, and other squash.

There are tomatoes, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and raspberries, or grapes that range from light green all the way to black -- the darker they are, the more antioxidants they provide.

These are all great sources of antioxidants.

Even chocolate is rich in antioxidants.

Carotenoids -- of which beta-carotene is a subcategory -- are believed to contain lutein and zeaxanthin, and scientists believe that their accumulation in the macula can sharpen vision.

Studies of adults age 45 and over presented some evidence suggesting that those who consumed these nutrients will enjoy better visual health.

It’s possible that these antioxidants will eventually be proven useful in preventing, if not reversing, the occurrence of glaucoma.

Vitamin E and The Benefits of Antioxidants

The antioxidant benefits of Vitamin E are found in all types of nuts and seeds, as well as the oils produced from them.

This includes both peanut butter, the natural kind, and the oils that you use for various purposes in your cooking. It protects the essential fats that your cells need for proper function and protects your skin from aging.

It also helps with the production and integrity of red blood cells, so it is believed to protect us from vascular disease and cardiac ailments.

And many scientists are also looking at its anti-cancer properties.

The antioxidant benefits of Vitamin E is also being studied for its association with low cholesterol readings. In places such as Japan, countries along the Mediterranean, Finland, and the Netherlands, people routinely consume higher quantities of vitamin E from those same nuts and oils mentioned above.

You will also find a large percentage of whole grains in their diets and it is a well known fact that the people living in these areas boast lower cholesterol readings.

Combined benefits of antioxidants -- Vitamin E and C often work together.

You’ll find that antioxidant foods rich in vitamin C aid your connective tissues, which helps in healing and will also benefit the health of your hair, skin, and nails. These agents can also keep your skin looking young.

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, aids in the assimilation of iron into your body.

Benefits of Antioxidants: The Scientific Evidence

Many researchers believe that antioxidants can stave off various cancers, but studies are still going on in search of definitive proof.

Scientists believe that free radicals damage healthy cells in your body by stripping them of electrons, and those weakened cells are more prone to developing cancer or other immune disorders.

Carotenoids and selenium have been used to fight colon and gastric cancers. Milk thistle has been in use for liver ailments since the time of the ancient Greeks and its effect on cancers of the liver and bile duct is being studied.

In addition, the antioxidant benefits of catechins found in green teas will protect your skin cells from damage caused by over-exposure to the sun, possibly including skin cancers, but more research is still needed on the varieties of green tea.

Drinking it is, of course, the most common way to get its antioxidant benefits. Some evidence shows that it has a relaxing effect on the central nervous system.

Electroencephalograph readings taken after ingestion of green tea show relaxed alpha brain waves. But green tea has also been applied to the skin for its restorative qualities.

There is still a lot to be learned about the benefits of antioxidants from studying the foods we eat and how they affect overall health and well being.

Scientists are still studying how much damage pollutants and lifestyle choices have on our cells and whether antioxidants can erase that damage.

A good way to begin your quest for vibrant health so you look good and feel great at any age is to eat an abundance of organic antioxidant foods.

Why not try growing your own organic herbs and veggies and reap the antioxidant benefits.


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