What are antioxidants
Before I answer this question I need to explain about free radicals. Free radicals are a natural by-product of the body turning food into energy (ATP). The body has mechanisms to deal with these free radicals, because they are highly dangerous left to their own devices. Excess free radicals are a problem because they attack the body itself, damaging key cellular molecules such as DNA. Cells with damaged DNA may be more prone to developing cancer. Free radical activity has also been implicated in premature ageing, heart disease, arthritis, cataract formation, chronic fatigue syndrome, etc. |
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An excess of free radicals can be caused by:
- smoking
- sunbathing
- frying food
- infections
- excessive exercise (note normal exercise does not have this effect!)
- stress
- radiation
- polluted environments
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You can see from this list that most of us will be producing far too many free radicals for the normal body processes to cope with, so we need to be sure that we take in enough anti-oxidants to de-activate these excess free radicals.
A lot of the symptoms of ageing are signs of free radical damage. When cell membranes are attacked by free radicals they either become hardened so that nutrients cannot get into the cells, or they may be punctured so that the cell collapses as the cell fluid drains out. In the skin this leads to skin which is leathery or wrinkled and sagging. (I always think of antioxidants as the great anti-ageing secret much better than expensive creams and potions.); in the joints this causes the synovial fluid to lose its lubricating quality and cause stiffness; in cells it may damage the DNA causing inappropriate cell division and the possibility of cancer, etc.
Do where do you find anti-oxidants to counteract these damaging effects? The main sources are fresh fruit and vegetables. This is part of the reason we are now being urged to eat more of these vital substances.
Different antioxidants work in different areas of the body, so the key is to eat as wide a range of antioxidants as possible. This means eating fruit and vegetables of different types and different colours. Eat green and red grapes, eat orange fruit and vegetables, try new fruit and vegetables. Different coloured fruit and vegetables contain different antioxidants, and it’s vitally important that we have a full range of antioxidants, because they work in different ways in different parts of our bodies. For example, some antioxidant molecules are too big to go through the gut wall so they work in the gut itself. Some antioxidants are water-soluble so can go where the fat soluble ones can’t. Some work on the surface of cells and some work inside cells.
Where do we want antioxidants to work? - everywhere in our body to help prevent damage and decay. If this were a new wonder drug, people would be queuing up to take it and be prepared to spend a lot of money to obtain it.
But it’s simpler than that, just eat lots of fresh, preferably organic, fruit and vegetables to keep your skin tone, lubricate your joints and help prevent cancer.
Copyright 2005 Jane Thurnell-Read is a writer and researcher on health and alternative medicine. Visit her web site healthandgoodness.com |
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