Every day consumers are bombarded with dire warnings about their health. They are urged to buy a host of supplements that will help reduce their risk for contracting heart disease, cancer, asthma and a host of other scary conditions. Among many other modern phrases, more and more people want to know exactly what is an antioxidant. It seems that this is a key to good health.
In order to survive every living entity needs oxygen. The oxygen plays an important role in providing the entity with energy. This is done by metabolizing the nutrients that the entity consumes. In the case of humans this may be carbohydrates, fats and a variety of proteins. Unfortunately, oxygen can become dangerous. This happens when it becomes part of potentially dangerous molecules called free radicals.
Free radicals are really nothing other than molecules that have split apart because the bond between the molecules became weak, thus rendering them unstable because in the process they have lost an electron. It is their very instability that can make them dangerous. These free radicals can be the result of factors such as environmental pollution, excessive exercise, high stress levels and even insomnia, among others.
Unstable free radicals try to gain back their missing electrons. They do this by attacking healthy cells. Unfortunately, this causes a reaction, because the healthy cell also becomes a free radical that will attack other healthy cells to gain back the missing electron. This process causes the death of many millions of molecules. This chain reaction can lead to many health problems, including arthritis, neurological diseases, cancer and lung disease.
The destructive chain reaction caused by the free radicals can only be halted when all free radicals receive an additional electron. This is where antioxidants play a vital role. They are able to donate an electron to a free radical without becoming one themselves because they remain stable with or even without the additional electron. In this way the free radicals are neutralized.
There are many foods that are rich in this miracle substance. Not all foods contain the same level, however. Tomatoes, all types of berries, green vegetables, beans, broccoli and prunes are just a few foods that contain high levels. The potency of the various foods to absorb free radicals is measured on the ORAC scale. Tomatoes, for example, enjoy a score of sixty while cherries score a hundred points, making the latter more powerful.
Experts agree that it is necessary to consume more foods that are rich in substances that can neutralize free radicals. It is generally thought more beneficial and effective to consume raw fruit and vegetables, rather than to rely on artificial supplements. If free radicals are not kept under control serious health problems can ensue. It may also help to try and reduce contributing factors such as stress and poor sleeping patterns.
Finding out what is an antioxidant is the easy part. Understanding its importance and making a concerted effort to include it in the diet is quite another matter. Free radicals can quickly become a serious health problem and most experts agree that most people need at least two or three portions every day.
In order to survive every living entity needs oxygen. The oxygen plays an important role in providing the entity with energy. This is done by metabolizing the nutrients that the entity consumes. In the case of humans this may be carbohydrates, fats and a variety of proteins. Unfortunately, oxygen can become dangerous. This happens when it becomes part of potentially dangerous molecules called free radicals.
Free radicals are really nothing other than molecules that have split apart because the bond between the molecules became weak, thus rendering them unstable because in the process they have lost an electron. It is their very instability that can make them dangerous. These free radicals can be the result of factors such as environmental pollution, excessive exercise, high stress levels and even insomnia, among others.
Unstable free radicals try to gain back their missing electrons. They do this by attacking healthy cells. Unfortunately, this causes a reaction, because the healthy cell also becomes a free radical that will attack other healthy cells to gain back the missing electron. This process causes the death of many millions of molecules. This chain reaction can lead to many health problems, including arthritis, neurological diseases, cancer and lung disease.
The destructive chain reaction caused by the free radicals can only be halted when all free radicals receive an additional electron. This is where antioxidants play a vital role. They are able to donate an electron to a free radical without becoming one themselves because they remain stable with or even without the additional electron. In this way the free radicals are neutralized.
There are many foods that are rich in this miracle substance. Not all foods contain the same level, however. Tomatoes, all types of berries, green vegetables, beans, broccoli and prunes are just a few foods that contain high levels. The potency of the various foods to absorb free radicals is measured on the ORAC scale. Tomatoes, for example, enjoy a score of sixty while cherries score a hundred points, making the latter more powerful.
Experts agree that it is necessary to consume more foods that are rich in substances that can neutralize free radicals. It is generally thought more beneficial and effective to consume raw fruit and vegetables, rather than to rely on artificial supplements. If free radicals are not kept under control serious health problems can ensue. It may also help to try and reduce contributing factors such as stress and poor sleeping patterns.
Finding out what is an antioxidant is the easy part. Understanding its importance and making a concerted effort to include it in the diet is quite another matter. Free radicals can quickly become a serious health problem and most experts agree that most people need at least two or three portions every day.
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