Also called “free-radical scavengers”, Antioxidants are said to help neutralize free radicals in our bodies, and this is thought to boost overall health.
Free radicals are waste substances produced by cells as the body processes food and reacts to the environment. If the body cannot process and remove free radicals efficiently, oxidative stress can result. This can harm cells and body function. Free radicals are also known as reactive oxygen species (ROS).
Factors that increase the production of free radicals in the body can be internal, such as inflammation, or external, for example, pollution, UV exposure, and cigarette smoke.
Oxidative stress has been to heart disease, cancer, arthritis, stroke, respiratory diseases, immune deficiency, emphysema, Parkinson’s disease, and other inflammatory or ischemic conditions.
Antioxidants can protect against the cell damage that free radicals cause, known as oxidative stress.
An intake of antioxidants is believed to reduce these risks.
Some Vitamins, Flavonoids, flavones, catechins, polyphenols, and phytoestrogens are all types of antioxidants and phytonutrients, and they are all found in plant-based foods.
Each antioxidant serves a different function and is not interchangeable with another. Therefore it is important to have a varied diet.
Some extract Powders offered by the nutraceutical industry contain many of these antioxidants described above. Acai, Guarana, Yerba Mate, Graviola, Acerola, Camu Camu and many others are good options.
