The word antioxidant has a lot of buzz in the healthy eating community. Most of us know that they are beneficial for the body, but few of us actually know what an antioxidant is. If you look up the word antioxidant, the definition is exactly what you would expect, “a substance that inhibits oxidation”, hints the “anti” “oxy”, but what does that mean for the human body?
To really understand the important role antioxidants play, we first have to take a look at free radicals, another buzz word in the healthy eating community. A free radical is an unstable molecule floating around the body. Why is it unstable? Because it is lacking an electron, electrons prefer to be paired up, and when you have an unpaired electron they try to pull one off other molecules. This can wreak havoc and cause a chain reaction, creating more and more free radicals in the body. When free radicals build up it creates oxidative stress which can lead to diseases and illnesses such as cancer, autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Free radicals occur due to environmental disturbances, such as cigarette smoke and pollution, but also occur naturally for a multitude of reason, such as an the body’s defense in an immune response. Antioxidants help stave off the build ups of free radicals by donating their own electrons to neutralize the molecules.
Free radicals are formed consistently in the body so it is important to have a good supply of antioxidants. It is true that the body produces some of these antioxidants on its own, but it also needs extra help and seeks out antioxidant sources through the diet. There are many types of antioxidants, and they can be found in many different foods. Vitamin C, Vitamin E, copper, zinc, lycopene, Omega-3’s and flavonoids are a few types but the list goes on and on. The best way to ensure your body is getting the right types of antioxidant nutrients is to eat a well-balanced diet high in fruits and vegetables of every color. The greater variety of fruits and veggies the better! Nuts, salmon, and dark chocolate are also great sources of antioxidants.
Cuisine for Healing creates recipes that are high in antioxidants among other important nutrients. One of our new spring favorites is the Italian Chopped Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette. It is so colorful, delicious, crunchy and packed with antioxidants!
Sources:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-antioxidants
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3614697/
