This story has "good" antioxidants, which are not the antioxidants; "Bad" - free radicals; And the way the good guys beat the bad guys. And to be a little more honest and accurate, then free radicals are not always bad, antioxidants are good, but also good, it turns out, has a limit, and the way? It depends on us, and on the food we choose to eat.
What are Antioxidants - Antioxidants?
Antioxidants are substances that are naturally produced in the body and also come from food, and their purpose - just like their name - is to protect molecules in the body from oxidative processes that damage them and cause them to change.
What are free radicals?
Free radicals are also naturally formed in our body - they are the products of the respiratory process and metabolism. However, free radicals are also found in the food we eat, the medicines we take, the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the sun above us, which sends out ultraviolet radiation. These materials include fried foods, alcohol, tobacco smoke, pesticides, air pollutants, and many others.
As mentioned, free radicals are not only the bad guys in this story, as they also have some positive roles in the body, such as fighting bacteria and protecting the immune system, but the body needs them in a relatively small amount. The problem begins when there is excess free radicals and an imbalance between them and the number of antioxidants, then the free radicals begin to attack and oxidize various substances in the body and start a chain reaction that causes oxidative stress that can damage parts of different cells like proteins, DNA and cell membranes, causing a variety of diseases.
This is where antioxidant action comes into play - whose job is to bind to those free radicals and prevent the development of oxidative stress. The antioxidant binds to the free radical, oxidizes itself, and prevents the oxidation of essential molecules in the body.
How do free radicals harm our health?
When the levels of free radicals become too high in the body, they can cause cell damage. One of the serious damages that free radicals are responsible for is the damage to the DNA molecules that are necessary for the proper functioning of the cells. Damage to these molecules can cause cell dysfunction and even death. Free radicals are linked to many health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, and brain nerve damage, which contribute to diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. The free radicals can also cause vision impairment, arthritis, and accelerate aging processes.
How do antioxidants help maintain body health?
Antioxidants (antioxidants) can reduce and even prevent some of these damages, and for that, they need a sufficient amount of body, so they can "treat" as many free radicals as possible, prevent the damage they cause to cells and inhibit or prevent the many health problems they may develop. cause. Different Antioxidants Benefit With Different Parts Of The Body: There are a wide variety of antioxidants found in nature, and because they are so diverse, different antioxidants provide benefits to different areas of the body. For example, beta carotene (and other carotenoids) is very beneficial to eye health; Lycopene is helpful in maintaining prostate health; Flavonoids are particularly beneficial for heart health, And Percentocyanidins is beneficial for urinary health.
Increasing antioxidant intake is essential for optimal health, especially in today's polluted world and because the body simply cannot keep up with antioxidant production - a good amount of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and enzymes must come from our daily diet. Increasing antioxidant intake can help provide additional body protection from heart problems, eye problems, memory problems, mood disorders, and immune problems.
It should be noted that excess antioxidants are not always beneficial and even harmful, and those taking medication should consult their physician before using antioxidants.
What are the top antioxidants and where are they in the diet?
Antioxidants are found in many foods that most of us probably eat. Large amounts of antioxidants can be found in whole fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains and smaller amounts of antioxidants in meats, poultry, and fish. Not surprisingly, antioxidants can be found in junk food such as fast and processed foods. Each antioxidant has a different role in the body and cannot be replaced by another, so it is important to manage a varied diet that includes as many antioxidants as possible.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is probably the most prominent antioxidant, which also helps increase the effectiveness of other antioxidants. Vitamin C helps prevent LDL cholesterol - the bad cholesterol - so it helps prevent heart disease. The human body cannot produce vitamin C itself, so we must obtain it from food or supplements. Men are advised to receive 90 mg of Vitamin C a day and women are recommended 75 mg daily.
Where is Vitamin C in the Diet? In most fruits and vegetables, especially berries, oranges, and peppers.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that maintains vascular and heart health - it maintains cholesterol levels, plays a role in the production of red blood cells, which transmit oxygen to all organs and tissues, and helps the body use vitamin K, which promotes normal blood clotting. Vitamin E also helps maintain and protect skin health. All adults are advised to receive 15 mg of vitamin E per day.
Where is Vitamin E in the Diet? In nuts and seeds, sunflower and other vegetable oils, whole wheat, and leafy green vegetables.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant that plays important roles in boosting the immune system, growth, and development, maintaining normal night vision and producing hemoglobin. Vitamin A that comes into the body from the plant is called carotenoid - and inside the body, it is converted to retinol, the active form of the vitamin. By the time Vitamin A comes from the animal, it already comes in cardinal. Women are recommended to receive 700 mcg of vitamin A a day and for men - 900 mcg.
Where is Vitamin A in the Diet? Good animal sources are dairy, fatty fish, eggs, and liver; Vegetable sources of vitamin A are vegetables and orange fruits (carrots, sweet potato, pumpkin, mango, and papaya) and green vegetables (spinach, turnip, broccoli, zucchini, and pepper).
selenium
Selenium, a mineral that reaches the plants from the soil, helps the body produce antioxidant enzymes. Selenium may help prevent cancer and treat damages of toxic metals in the body and is considered one of the leading minerals for heart problems. Men and women should receive 55 mg of selenium a day, but be careful.
Where is selenium in the diet? Rice, corn, wheat, and other whole grains, nuts (mainly Brazil), eggs, cheese, and legumes.
Lycopene
Lycopene is a strong antioxidant, a very common carotenoid, in red. Using lycopene may help protect the body from prostate cancer and LDL cholesterol oxidation.
Where is lycopene in the diet? In pink and red fruits and vegetables, especially tomato, watermelon, and red grapefruit. Unlike water-soluble vitamins - such as vitamin C, whose potency diminishes in cooking - the intensity of lycopene, which is fat-soluble, increases in cooking and heating, and is recommended to consume it alongside fatty foods.
Lutein and zeaxanthin
Two eye carotenoids, antioxidants that protect the retina and protect it from sun damage.
Where are lutein and zeaxanthin in the diet? Lutein is found mainly in leafy green vegetables, watercress, corn, papaya, and oranges. You will find the zeaxanthin in corn, spinach, and orange pepper.
Polyphenols and flavonoids
Polyphenols are a category of compounds found naturally in plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, herbs, various spices, teas, dark chocolate, and wine. Polyphenols act as antioxidants, reducing the risk of developing cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. The polyphenols are also thought to be inflammatory, which is the root of many chronic diseases. There are thousands of types of polyphenols, the main group of which is the flavonoids group, which is about 60% of all polyphenols.
Where are polyphenols and flavonoids in the diet? There are many foods that contain polyphenols, among the richest, are cocoa, blueberry, hazelnut and pecan, rosemary, mint, mint, and thyme.
Other polyphenols-rich foods include green tea, green coffee, gooseberries, black bamboo, blackberry, broccoli, carrots, spinach, onions, legumes, soybeans, chestnut, flax seeds, oats, rye, whole wheat, pomegranate, olive oil and wine
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