Dietary Antioxidants are nutrients derived from foods with the main benefit being to help slow or prevent damage to the cells in our body.
Free radicals come from the use of oxygen within our bodies and these are what cause oxidative damage. The antioxidant goes after these free radicals and helps to neutralize them and start the healing process in the cells.
Many health issues arise because of oxidative damage like certain cancers, cardiac issues, diabetes, and macular degeneration.
Food antioxidants as well as antioxidant (supplements) helps to fight these free radicals.
Antioxidants are commonly in the form of vitamin A or beta-carotene, vitamin C, Vitamin E and selenium.
These come in the supplemental form of pills and liquid.
Food antioxidants are found in apricots, broccoli, cantaloupe, collards, carrots, garlic, grains, green peppers, kale, leafy green vegetables, lime, olive oil, oranges, peaches, squash, strawberries, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and vegetable oil.
This is where all fruits and vegetables get their pretty bright colors from. If you eat enough carrots or sweet potatoes even your skin will become orange (not recommended though) but it shows the power of the antioxidant in the body.
Both dietary antioxidants and foods have benefits in the way they work with the cells in the body to fight off those free radicals. Without them, the body could succumb to terrible illnesses and even death.
With them, the immune system is able to fight off dire illnesses and conditions making the body stronger and healthier. These powerful antioxidants aid the body if enough are consumed on a daily basis, through either supplements or foods. This is why a healthy diet is paramount in having a healthy lifestyle.
Vitamin A or beta-carotene, found in the yellow vegetables, help the body to fight the worse of the free radicals, fighting stuff like cancer cells and macular degeneration.
The vitamin C, found in citrus fruits, helps to alleviate the ill effects of stress on the body. Often when stress brings us down, our immune systems will suffer, and we are more susceptible to viruses like the common cold.
Vitamin C also helps the liver to conserve glutathione. Glutathione aids the body's ability to protect the cells while acting as a body detox. Glutathione is not available in dietary antioxidants, which is why it is vital to receive enough vitamin C, which encourages the production of it by the liver.
Vitamin E is found in supplements as well as in foods like nuts, vegetables, fish, oil, and fruit. This antioxidant helps to fight against the effects of pollution, which affects the skin. It helps to reverse the damage caused by sun.
It is a stress fighter and helps to fight the signs of aging. Selenium, found in nuts, liver, eggs, etc., helps to fight against the ill effects of aging, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases.
The benefits of both dietary antioxidants and food antioxidants are very clear. In order to have a healthy lifestyle you need to eat a proper diet and possibly take nutritional supplements to aid the body in building a strong immune system.