Supplegen Magazine : Oxiclens™ The ACE Way To A Healthier You!
What are antioxidants? What do they do? When the body breaks down food to release energy, molecules are produced called free radicals Free radicals can break down other chemicals within the cells causing damage and destruction which may contribute to ageing and lead to heart disease and cancer. Antioxidants act as 'free radical scavengers' protecting the cells and helping to prevent the ensuing damage. The most commonly known antioxidants are vitamins A, C and E which are found in colourful fruit and vegetables such as red and orange peppers, tomatoes, carrots, peaches and apricots, citrus fruits and leafy green vegetables, nuts, seeds and vegetable oils. These antioxidants are also known as carotenoids. Selenium is also an important antioxidant and is found in red meat, fish and eggs. Another important group of antioxidants are the flavonoids contained within red wine, green tea, berries and tomatoes. The body is also able to manufacture several antioxidants including sodium dismutase and glutathione peroxidase. Can antioxidants help to prevent heart disease? Can antioxidants protect against cancer? Do antioxidants have any other beneficial effects? Many people believe that by eating a healthy diet and maintaining an optimal level of antioxidants in the body that the immune defence system is able to function at its best - enabling the body to resist and fight infections. Although everyone knows that we should be eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, the average intake in the UK is closer to two and a half. And the antioxidant 'power' of vegetables varies so depending on your choice of five a day you may or may not consume an optimal amount of antioxidants. For example, plums, spinach and red peppers contain far more antioxidants than cauliflower, pineapple and bananas. A supplement may therefore be beneficial. |