Understanding Free Radicals & Antioxidants
Remember the days of chemistry and biology? You probably remember the topic of molecules. A molecule has a nucleus at the center and then a certain number of electrons that orbit around the nucleus. Normally, the molecules that make up your
body are balanced in that they have an even number of electrons. A free
radical is a molecule that has lost one of its electrons leaving it
with an odd number.
These unbalanced free radical molecules attempt to stabilize
themselves by "stealing" an electron from another healthy molecule.
When this process takes place, the cells that are involved can be injured. The cell at the molecular level may become dysfuctional causing disease or even become
malignant resulting in cancer. Research also suggests that free
radicals are one of the main causes of aging and wrinkles.
The body produces free radicals through normal metabolic pathways
such as extracting energy from the food we eat. Exposure to the
toxins in junk food or polluted air, for example, can also be
sources of free radical production. In short, we are exposed to
potential sources of free radical pollution every day of our lives.
Antioxidants are nutritional compounds in whole foods (and higher in raw whole foods) that have extra electrons. When an antioxidant comes in contact with a free
radical - the antioxidant "donates" an electron to the free
radical. This way, the free radical doesn't have to "steal" an
electron from another healthy molecule and avoid the damage normally
caused by the free radical. The antioxidant
nutrients themselves do not become free radicals when they "donate"
an electron because they are stable in either form.
The human body is capable of producing antioxidants naturally, but
under conditions of a poor diet, toxicity, physical stress or
emotional stress this antioxidant production can be severely
impaired. Do you know someone who eats a poor diet, has high
levels of toxicity and is stressed out much of the time? This is
why they may appear older than they actually are.
Eating a healthy whole food diet and drinking plenty of water are
two of the best ways to protect your body from the damage of free
radicals. Fruits and vegetables provide an excellent source of
natural antioxidants to help your body stabilize the free radicals
and ward off the damage that they cause.
So for starters, try to introduce at least 5 servings of fruit and 5 servings of
vegetables every day. If you are having a hard time fitting that in each day, Juice Plus is a convenient and inexpensive way to accomplish this:
And as always please visit my free website www.jplusforme.com
DISCLAIMER:
All statements are my personal opinion and are based on my
personal experience and conclusions. This is not to be construed as an approach
to cure, treat or prevent any illness, and is not a substitute for a doctor’s
consultation diagnosis or treatment. “The Statements contained in this publication
have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.” Please consult a health care professional for any medical condition.
Showing posts with label food high in antioxidants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food high in antioxidants. Show all posts
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Foods Rich In Antioxidants
Foods that are high in Antioxidants
While many people take antioxidant supplements to help them avoid having to follow a rigid antioxidant diet, researchers have found that supplements alone will not have the same effect as supplements coupled with foods rich in antioxidants.
What is it about antioxidant foods that is so good for us? These foods contain molecules that, once inside our body's cells, react with "free radicals" and remove them. Free radicals are oxygen containing molecules that are highly reactive - that is they will react with many other molecules they come in contact with. When they react with our cells and tissues, they can do grave damage, leading to ill health and disease. It's better if they react with an antioxidant first and get removed from the picture before they can do any damage. This is why it's a good idea to eat lots of foods high in antioxidants, so that you always have lots of antioxidants available when they're needed.
There is sound research now to suggest that foods rich in antioxidants help the body manage free radicals. The best approach to getting enough of them is to eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables each day -- try to eat many different colors and textures. If you simply cannot tolerate vegetables, there are antioxidant supplements available to the consumer, like Juice Plus in easy capsule or gummies form or Monavie in a juice drink. Choose one from a reputable source and try to find one that is produced from a range of plants and foods high in antioxidants - so you get a range of antioxidant molecules. It is also very important that the source be from living whole food, organic if you can find it. The key about live whole food (raw) is that its phytonutrients (plant nutrients) are still intact and have all of the amino acids and enzymes that work in synergy to rid the body of inflammation and disease in a natural way. Whatever you do, do NOT take supplements or vitamins that are synthetically created. There is a lot of evidence now to suggest that synthetic vitamin and mineral supplements are more harmful than taking none at all.
Foods rich in antioxidants include, in general, the brightly colored fruits and vegetables: leafy greens like kale and spinach, other green vegetables like soybeans, green beans, broccoli and Brussels sprouts, red and yellow vegetables like tomatoes, red bell peppers, carrots and squash, and other things like beets. Fruits that are good antioxidant foods include, again, the fruits with lots of color -- guava, goji, mangosteen, acai berries, pink grapefruit, berries, oranges, plums, grapes, apricots, peaches. Even the dried forms of these fruits are good sources however live raw whole foods are the best source.
DISCLAIMER:
All statements are my personal opinion and are based on my
personal experience and conclusions. This is not to be construed as an approach
to cure, treat or prevent any illness, and is not a substitute for a doctor’s
consultation diagnosis or treatment. “The Statements contained in this publication
have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.” Please consult a health care professional for any medical condition.
While many people take antioxidant supplements to help them avoid having to follow a rigid antioxidant diet, researchers have found that supplements alone will not have the same effect as supplements coupled with foods rich in antioxidants.
What is it about antioxidant foods that is so good for us? These foods contain molecules that, once inside our body's cells, react with "free radicals" and remove them. Free radicals are oxygen containing molecules that are highly reactive - that is they will react with many other molecules they come in contact with. When they react with our cells and tissues, they can do grave damage, leading to ill health and disease. It's better if they react with an antioxidant first and get removed from the picture before they can do any damage. This is why it's a good idea to eat lots of foods high in antioxidants, so that you always have lots of antioxidants available when they're needed.
There is sound research now to suggest that foods rich in antioxidants help the body manage free radicals. The best approach to getting enough of them is to eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables each day -- try to eat many different colors and textures. If you simply cannot tolerate vegetables, there are antioxidant supplements available to the consumer, like Juice Plus in easy capsule or gummies form or Monavie in a juice drink. Choose one from a reputable source and try to find one that is produced from a range of plants and foods high in antioxidants - so you get a range of antioxidant molecules. It is also very important that the source be from living whole food, organic if you can find it. The key about live whole food (raw) is that its phytonutrients (plant nutrients) are still intact and have all of the amino acids and enzymes that work in synergy to rid the body of inflammation and disease in a natural way. Whatever you do, do NOT take supplements or vitamins that are synthetically created. There is a lot of evidence now to suggest that synthetic vitamin and mineral supplements are more harmful than taking none at all.
Foods rich in antioxidants include, in general, the brightly colored fruits and vegetables: leafy greens like kale and spinach, other green vegetables like soybeans, green beans, broccoli and Brussels sprouts, red and yellow vegetables like tomatoes, red bell peppers, carrots and squash, and other things like beets. Fruits that are good antioxidant foods include, again, the fruits with lots of color -- guava, goji, mangosteen, acai berries, pink grapefruit, berries, oranges, plums, grapes, apricots, peaches. Even the dried forms of these fruits are good sources however live raw whole foods are the best source.
DISCLAIMER:
All statements are my personal opinion and are based on my
personal experience and conclusions. This is not to be construed as an approach
to cure, treat or prevent any illness, and is not a substitute for a doctor’s
consultation diagnosis or treatment. “The Statements contained in this publication
have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.” Please consult a health care professional for any medical condition.
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