What are anti-oxydants, and what do they do to benefit our health

Many foreign compounds that we get into our bodies from pollution in the environment or as foreign elements in our food are potent oxidative reactants, or chemical processes in the body split them apart forming free radicals that are potent oxidizers. Free radicals are also formed during the normal metabolic activities in the body, and they are formed in the skin because of impact from the ultra-violet rays in the sun-shine. Free radicals are molecule pieces that have electrons ready to form new chemical bonds. These reactive compoumds easily react chemically with molecules in the body, and thus damage tissue structures. This action causes or increases the risk for the following diseases:

- Damage of the eye's lens causing impaired vision.

- Acceleration of the agting process.

- Cancer due to damaged DNA.

- Heart and circulatory diseas, due to oxidated LDH lipoprotein that fixes itself in the vessel walls.

- Nerve cell damage, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.

- Decreased strength of the immune system.

Anti-oxydants are compunds that catch up the free radicals and other oxidative compounds, and in this way protect the body's own tissue. Anti-oxidants will therefore help prvent the listed damages or diseases or even help the body to fight back damage allready done by free radicals.


Some important anti-oxidants

Very many compounds act as anti-oxidants. Some anti-oxidants play an important role in the biochemical processes of the body. Examples of these are the following vitamins:

Beta-carotene - A vitamine found in apricots, carrots, mangoes, parsley, pumpkins and spinach.

Vitamin C - This mineral is abundant i fruits and minerals having an acid taste, for example citrus and kiwi.

Vitamin E - Found in vegetable oils or oily fruits, like: Avocados, nuts, olive oil, olives, seeds and whole grains.

Also many minerals playing a role as co-enzymes in biochemical processes in the body, also act as anti-oxidants:

Copper - This is a mineral found in seafood, lean meat, milk and nuts.

Manganese - This is a mineral found in lean meat, milk, nuts and seafood.

Selenium - This is a mineral found in lean meat offal, seafood and whole grains.

Zinc - A mineral found in lean meat, milk, nuts and seafood.

Other compounds probably do not have any specific process role in the body, but are usefull as anti-oxydants, for example:

Special sulphur compounds - Found in plants of the onion family, like garlic, leeks and onions

Anthocyanins - Colour-full compounds found in berries, eggplant and grapes.

Catechins - Sources are red wine and tea.

Cryptoxanthins - Found in red paprica (capsicum), mangoes and pumpkins.

Flavonoids - Found in apples, citrus fruits, green tea, red wine, onion and tea.

Indoles - Sources are cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower.

Isoflavonoids - Sources are milk, lentils, peas, soybeans and tofu.

Lignans - Sources are vegetables, bran, full grains and sesame seeds.

Lutein - Found in corn and spinach.

Lycopene - Sources are pink grapefruit tomatoes and watermelon.

Polyphenols - Found in oregano and thyme.


Food sources of anti-oxydants

All vegetables and all fruits contain anti-oxydants. Therefore a diet with a variation of fruits, vegatables herbs and spices is recommanded. However, some sources seem to contain more anti-oxydants that others, and one should take special care of including these sources in the everyday diet. The anti-oxydant action of a food source is due to all anti-oxydants in that food. Therefore food types containing small amounts of many anti-oxidants can be better than foods containing great amounts of only one. Also all compunds contributing to the anti-oxidant actions of some foods are not well know.

Many of the compuonds acting as anti-oxidants have strong taste or strong colours. Therefore food sources having bright colours or sharp tastes often are good sources of anti-oxydants:

Some herbs seem to hold the top position regarding anti-oxidant content, especially herbs of the oregano family. Using oregano as spice or even as regular vegetables is strongly recommanded. Other herbs with good levels of anti-oxidant compounds are: Dill, garden thyme, rosemary and peppermint.

Coffee, tea and red wine are good sources of anti-oxydants, especially coffe and green tea. Newer finding show that coffee probably is the source providing most anti-oxidants in the average American diet. Drinking coffee is traditionally regarded as an unhealthy habit. This is a wrong assuption. The opposite is actually true, as long as the coffee drinking is moderate. The same seem to be true about consuming red wine.

Examples of anti-oxidant sources with both strong colours and strong taste are several types of pepper fruits like: Chilli, paprica and cayenne.

Carrots, tomatoes and spinach also are a good sources of anti-oxydants. Carrots are especially good for the skin health.

Strong coloured berries have a very potent anti-oxidant content with anti-aging properties, especially the south American acai berries, raspberries and blueberries. However, berries should be fresh or processed with special care to conserve the anti-oxidant content.

Oil types like olive oil and coconut oil are good sources of anti-oxidants. Olive oil should therefore be used instead of margarine and butter for food cooking. Coconut oil should be used more modertely because this oil type contain more saturated fatty acids.

Even though some sources of anti-oxydants are more abundant than, others, it is generally recommanded to use a combination of several anti-oxydant sources in the daily diet. That is because the different anti-oxydants have different beneficial actions, and also because some anti-oxydants may have toxic effects if they are over-consumed.