WHAT ARE ANTIOXIDANTS?
Antioxidants are molecules that slow or prevent the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons from a substance to an oxidizing agent. Oxidation reactions can produce free radicals, which start chain reactions that damage cells. Antioxidants terminate these chain reactions by removing radical intermediates, and inhibit other oxidation reactions by being oxidized themselves.
As we age, the number of healthy cells in our bodies decline. The reserves of cells in each of the body organs also reduce. This reserve capacity measures how we respond to stress and how well our bodies recover from illness. This is called the glucose tolerance measurement – and this also shows a loss as the body ages. The process of aging is called oxidative damage.
Oxidative damage can show up in the body by causing us to become ill with chronic inflammation like arthritis, frequent infections, cancer and heart disease.
However, anti-oxidants come to the rescue and are the first line of health defence against the damage caused by free radicals. A good intake of anti-oxidants are vital if we are to live long healthy lives. Many studies have shown that the amounts of anti-oxidants we need are much larger than those recommended by Recommended Daily Allowances(RDAs)
To explain how anti-oxidants work, think of how the cut part of an apple turns brown when it is exposed to the air for long enough: This is oxidative damage. Now if you put a cut part of an apple into some lemon or orange juice, the antioxidant Vitamin C slows down the browning or oxidising process.
In the same way, Antioxidants also protect the body’s cells and organs from being damaged or destroyed by free radicals. They also help protect the body from damage by disease. They help to boost the health of the immune system and increase resistance to infection and have been shown to reverse some diseases by destroying these free radicals.
Free radicals are highly unstable compounds that can enter the body and cause damage to the body’s cells. Free radicals can alter a healthy cell and can kill it or turn it into a cancerous one. They are also called oxidants. The balance between your intake of anti-oxidants and your exposure to free radicals can literally be the difference between life and death
Free radicals can be formed from smoking, from exhaust fumes, radiation, and frying or barbecuing food. They can also be generated in the body and can alter cell structures. Free radicals are also produced from pesticides and from the chemical processing and refining of food.
For example, by turning harmless oil from seeds into a solid fat like margarine or vegetable fat, a process known as hydrogenation is used. After this process is done, there is hardly anything left of the nutrients in the original food. Then when we heat these processed oils, in either solid form or liquid form, it produces free radicals called trans-fats. This is why deep fried foods are such bad news for our health.
Free radicals in limited numbers are necessary in order to destroy foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses by the immune system. It is when they multiply beyond a level that is beneficial that they cause us harm.