What are Antioxidants and Free Radicals

Antioxidants and Free Radicals: The Battle Simplified

berries from pixabay.com

Antioxidants and free radicals are two phrases flung around in diet and health articles. Here I try to explain them in simple terms. Antioxidants Against Free Radicals: The Battle Simplified.
 Every cell in the body requires oxygen to function. As the cell uses up oxygen it should automatically repair itself. If it does not, it may form a by-product called afree radical. Essentially, a free radical is an open shell which does not repair itself. When the body becomes diseased, it is as a result of a chain reaction or in other words an accumulation of damaged cells. These damaged cells result in diseases such as cancer, heart disease, degeneration, diabetes and strokes to name only a few. Free radicals are also thought to pay a huge part in the aging process in mind and body.

Cells are kept healthy by antioxidants which are the products of nutrition. These antioxidants fight free radicals thus halting or reversing disease. In effect, they stop the chain reaction and help the cell to repair itself.

The effect of free radicals causing cellular damage is aided by poor nutrition and by poor cooking preparation that destroys antioxidants. Also detrimental, are smoking, toxins in food and the environment, alcohol and drugs.

fruit and vegetables from Pixabay.com

Foods Rich in Antioxidants

It is well worth noting foods rich in antioxidants; after all, prevention is much better than cure. By keeping a healthy diet containing plenty of antioxidants, you can at the very least help to slow the aging process of the body. In addition, because they help to strengthen the immune system, antioxidants also help to avoid infections and fight inflammations.

The simplest common components within foods that have an antioxidant action are vitamins and minerals. Included are vitamins A, C, E, betacarotene, and selenium.

A to Z Foods Rich in Antioxidants

Apples	Artichokes	Asparagus	Apricots
Broccoli	Blueberries	Blackberries	Black Grapes	Beetroot	Beans
Carrots	Cabbage	Cashew nuts	Cranberries	Cherries
Dill	Dried Fruits	Dates
Echinacea
Flax	Figs
Guava	Grape Juice	Garlic	Greengages	Green Peppers	Grapefruit
Hazlenuuts	Herbs
Kale	Kiwi Fruit
Limes	Lemons	Lettuce
Mangos	Melon
Nuts
Oranges	Oregano	Oats
Pomegranate	Pumpkin	Pumpkin Seeds	Peaches	Prunes	Pecans & Peanuts
Red Peppers	Red Kidney Beans	Raspberries	Rice - wholegrain	Raisins
Squash	Strawberries	Sweet Potatoes	Sweetcorn	Soybeans	Spinach
Tomatoes	Thymne	Tea - green
Vegetable Oil
Watercress	Walnuts	Watermelon	Wholegrain Wheat	Wheatgerm

10 Superfoods you should be including in your diet

Foods RICHEST in antioxidants

If you want to filter your choices there are certain foods that are now considered to be superfoods - those that are packed full of nutrients and antioxidants and you should really target these in you diet.

top 10 antioxidant rich food