What Is Antioxidant ? Its Sources & Benefits to our Health:-
Antioxidants are substances that can prevent or slow damage to cells caused by free radicals, unstable molecules that the body produces as a reaction to environmental and other pressures.
Sources of antioxidants can be natural or artificial. Certain plant-based foods are thought to be rich in antioxidants. Plant-based antioxidants are a kind of phytonutrient, or plant-based nutrient.
The body also produces some antioxidants, known as endogenous antioxidants. Antioxidants that come from outside the body are called exogenous.
Antioxidants are said to help neutralize free radicals in our bodies, and this is thought to boost overall health.
Examples of antioxidants that come from outside the body include:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Beta-carotene
- Lutein
- Lycopene
- Selenium
Flavonoids, catechins, polyphenols, and phytoestrogens are the types of antioxidants that we found in plant prepared foods.
There are some other specific antioxidants which we can obtain by including specific foods in our diet,such as:-
Vitamin A: Dairy product, eggs, cod liver oil,yellow vegetables, etc.
Vitamin C: Most fruits and vegetables, like berries, oranges, green & red peppers, broccoli, spinach, etc.
Vitamin E: Nuts, vegetable oils, and green leafy vegetables, etc.
Beta-carotene: Brightly colored fruits and vegetables, such as carrots, peas, spinach, and mangoes, sweet potato, apricots, etc.
Lutein: Green leafy vegetables, corn, papaya, and oranges, egg yolk, etc.
Lycopene: Pink and red fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes and watermelon, guava, papaya, pink grape fruit, etc.
Selenium: Rice, corn, wheat, whole grains, nuts, eggs, cheese, sea food, soy product, chickens, eggs, shellfish, etc.
Although certain levels of antioxidants in the diet are required for good health, there is still considerable debate on whether antioxidant-rich foods or supplements have anti-disease activity. Again, if they are actually beneficial, it is unknown which antioxidants are health-promoting in the diet and in what amounts beyond typical dietary intake.
Free radicals are linked to a variety of diseases which include heart disease, loss of vision, asthma, diabetes, inflammatory joint diseases, dementia and cancer, but it is not sure that an increased intake of antioxidants will prevent these diseases. Antioxidants from artificial sources may increase the risk of some health problems too.
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