Antioxidants…What’s The Deal?

Have you noticed that everywhere you go, everything you see and hear is: “get your antioxidants”? It would seem we have a modern day cure all in the form of these mystical antioxidants….but is that really the case? I mean, we’re not naive. But it’s easy nowadays to get pulled into all kinds of scams (especially on the Internet). So what’s the deal? Are antioxidants really beneficial and if they are, how?

Oxygen; can’t live with it, can’t live without it….

“Aahhhhhhh”. Take a deep breath and take it all in. You feel that? That’s that good oxygen. Although it’s not the most abundant gas in the atmosphere, it is the one essential to our respiration. Without it, let’s just say life would be “interesting” to say the least. But this blade cuts on two sides. Oxygen reactions produce chemical byproducts called free radicals that are actually very detrimental to living cells. Free radicals can have negative effects on the various systems in the body, for instance the immune system, and have been believed to be an assistant in many chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. You can think of them as the sparks that are flying all over the place during a welding session. As it stands now, we’re not going to stop using oxygen any time soon so there must be a way to deal with the sparks, right? Right.

Antioxidants to the rescue

The body has a special system of chemicals in place called antioxidants that help to regulate the “spark-age” so to speak. Now, although they do not prevent the formation of free radicals, they do help to limit and even prevent them from damaging healthy cells. Aren’t you glad we cleared that up? In truth, antioxidants are really beneficial. The three major antioxidant vitamins are vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene. The good news is you don’t have to scour the earth to find them. Antioxidants are present in minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients found in the foods of our daily diets. But just in case you’re not a diet guru, here are a few tips:

·Look for bright colored fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, grapes, squash, and peaches. All berries, oranges, limes, and strawberries are good too.

·Fish and shellfish are another good source and if you’re allergic, try poultry.

·To get the most benefit from eating vegetables, try eating them raw or lightly steamed. Try not to overcook or boil them.

·Minerals including zinc and selenium provide antioxidants that may help to improve your immune system. These can be found in oysters, whole grains, red meat, beans, dairy products, nuts, and fortified cereals.

Now I know you’re all dying to know “what about wine?” Yes the wine is good too. But that doesn’t mean go crazy. Red wines in particular are good sources of antioxidants, but please use your discretion.