WHATs AN ANTI-OXIDANT?!
Question: Please be quick. I need your help. Also Listr your source and why they are used.
Answers: Please be quick. I need your help. Also Listr your source and why they are used.
"Antioxidants are substances or nutrients in our foods which can prevent or slow the oxidative damage to our body. When our body cells use oxygen, they naturally produce free radicals (by-products) which can cause damage. Antioxidants act as "free radical scavengers" and hence prevent and repair damage done by these free radicals."
An antioxidant is a molecule capable of slowing or preventing 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 free radical intermediates, and inhibit other oxidation reactions by being oxidized themselves. As a result, antioxidants are often reducing agents such as thiols or polyphenols.
Although oxidation reactions are crucial for life, they can also be damaging; hence, plants and animals maintain complex systems of multiple types of antioxidants, such as glutathione, vitamin C, and vitamin E as well as enzymes such as catalase, superoxide dismutase and various peroxidases. Low levels of antioxidants, or inhibition of the antioxidant enzymes, causes oxidative stress and may damage or kill cells.
As oxidative stress might be an important part of many human diseases, the use of antioxidants in pharmacology is intensively studied, particularly as treatments for stroke and neurodegenerative diseases. However, it is unknown whether oxidative stress is the cause or the consequence of disease. Antioxidants are also widely used as ingredients in dietary supplements in the hope of maintaining health and preventing diseases such as cancer and coronary heart disease. Although some studies have suggested antioxidant supplements have health benefits, other large clinical trials did not detect any benefit for the formulations tested, and excess supplementation may occasionally be harmful. In addition to these uses in medicine, antioxidants have many industrial uses, such as preservatives in food and cosmetics and preventing the degradation of rubber and gasoline.
antioxident is an emulsifier or preservative for many chemicals. It keeps the product active for more time.
An antioxidant is a molecule capable of slowing or preventing 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 free radical intermediates, and inhibit other oxidation reactions by being oxidized themselves. As a result, antioxidants are often reducing agents such as thiols or polyphenols.
antioxidant
noun
substance that inhibits oxidation or inhibits reactions promoted by oxygen or peroxides
The fact that you are interested in anti-oxidants lets me know that your health is important to you. If you do not ingest foods that are high in antioxidants then you open up your body to several types of diseases ranging from heart disease to dementia to autoimmune disorders as well as cancer.
Alot of these diseases are caused by free radicals which are cells that have been damanged and no longer function properly in your body.
Free radicals attack the nearest stable molecule stealing its electron. When the attacked molecule loses its electron,it becomes a free radical itself,causing a chain reaction. As the process cascades the
living cell is disrupted. Environmental conditions which spawn free radicals in our bodies are pollution,radiation,cigarette smoke, and herbicides just to name a few.
SOME free radicals are formed during metabolism. Sometimes the body's immune
cells purposedly create them to neutralize
viruses & bacteria.
Normally the body can handel the 10,000 to 12,000 hits a day IF antioxidants are available. However when the body cannot handel the excessive number of free radicals, then cell damage occurs and disease sets in to create permanent damage.
The damage that free radicals cause by stealing an electron in order to become atomically balanced damage the healthy compounds and the damage they inflict is called "oxidation" which is irreversible!
The answer to riding the body of inflammation and free radicals is vital to leading a healthy life and "age" appropriately.
The foods you consume should be high is
phytonutrients and polythenols as they together can be high in antioxidants which will ELIMATE free radicals. The darker the color of the peel or pericarp the higher the antioxidant property.
Some examples in the food area are:pomegrante fruit and juice,carrots,oranges{protect against environmental pollutants & deficiencies,blueberries,grapes,radishes...
brussel sprouts,tomatos,acai berries,wolfe
berries and a new special fruit out of southeast asia call the mangosteen fruit.
This special fruit rich in antioxidants,preempt
the free radical damage by donating the needed electron and balacing the substance,
rendering the free radicals harmless. The Health & Wellness arena as well as the Physicians of America are begining to explore inflammation caused by free radical
damage in our bodies as well as exploring
antioxidants as a possible avenue to healing our bodies.