The Antioxidant Craze

We've all heard it...antioxidants..... It is the buzz word of the ages....



But exactly what does it mean?? And how does it help our bodies??



No matter how healthy we are or what kind of environment we live in, our body is exposed daily to a cellular process called oxidation. In the human body, oxidation causes the damage of healthy human tissues on a cellular level. But, worse yet is that today our bodies are exposed to above average levels of free radicals due to environmental toxins.

Sources of free radicals include cigarettes, alcohol, pesticides, environmental chemicals, contaminants in the air and water, antibiotics in dietary meat and dairy products, radiation, high-fat diets, sunlight exposure and even exercise.

With time, this damage results in what is called aging and can put our health at risk.

When we refer to oxidation damage, we are typically referring to something called 'free radicals'. Free radicals, are unstable and highly reactive in the body. Experts estimate that every cell experiences ten thousand free radical attacks each hour of every day. If that sounds serious, it is!! The results are horrifying: DNA damaged by free radicals can cause cells to replicate incorrectly, therefore interfering with the proper cell function and often resulting in cell death. Over time, these mutations cause aging and may lead to cancer or other chronic diseases.

Some of the following have been directly linked to free radical damage:

• Heart Disease
• Arthritis
• Cataracts
• High Cholesterol
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Lung disease
• Fibromyalgia
• Cancer
• Diabetes
• Alzheimer's/dementia
• Inflammatory bowel disease

The research linking free radicals and diseases continues to grow steadily. In fact, some experts estimate that more than 80% of debilitating disease is related to the effects of free radicals.

Some of the foods that are rich in anti-oxidant levels which are measured in ORACs (oxygen radical absorption capacity).

• Cocoa, unprocessed
• Chocolate, dark
• Acai berry, fresh
• Acai freeze-dried powder
• Purple cabbage
• Kale
• Spinach
• Blueberries
• Broccoli
• Red pepper
• Carrot
• Tomato

The antioxidant capabilities of chocolate and acai have grabbed the attention of numerous research teams around the country. The antioxidant contents of both have been scrutinized, and continue to be the focus of a number of ongoing studies. Researchers have found that chocolate and acai are very high in several antioxidant compounds, including polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins and catechins.

In my next entry I will continue to compare antioxidant levels in the many products that are out in the market today.