What Are Antioxidants, Really?

The term antioxidant has been tossed around more and more lately and we'd like to know what it really means. What is so wrong with oxidants that we have to be so against them? One definition for antioxidant is any substance that reduces oxidative damage (damage due to oxygen) such as that caused by free radicals. Free radicals? Like Libertarians or something? So it's still not quite clear - hopefully we can make it a little clearer.

What happens is that your body creates a molecule called a "free radical" as a natural by-product of oxygen use. A free radical is an oxygen molecule that has an unpaired electron in its outer shell. If you don't remember high school chemistry that well, the upshot of this unpaired electron is a very unstable molecule that is looking for another electron to stabilize it. The main danger from free radicals is when they start to react with cellular components such as DNA and cell membranes. Free radicals can also occur from environmental factors such as pollution, cigarette smoke and herbacides.

What an antioxidant does is donate one of its electrons to the free radical thus stopping the unstable molecule. The science is still being evaluated regarding free radicals but many studies link free radicals and a number of degenerative diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, heart disease, Alzheimer's, macular degeneration, diabetes and other health problems.

So where can we get some of these magical antioxidants? The most commonly known antioxidants are vitamins C and E and beta carotene (a precursor to Vitamin A - it is converted to Vitamin A in the body). Then there is also Selenium which is a trace mineral which is essential to your body but only in small amounts. From there we go into phytonutrients or phytochemicals which are fruit or plant derived compounds. Here is a complete list of where you can get all of these antioxidants:

Beta Carotene:
Carrots, squash, goji berries, broccoli, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, kale, collards, cantaloupe, peaches, apricots, mangoes, (bright-colored fruits and vegetables!)

Vitamin C:
Citrus fruits like oranges and lime etc, green peppers, broccoli, green leafy vegetables, strawberries and tomatoes

Vitamin E:
Nuts & seeds such as sunflower seed, seabuckthorn berries, kiwi fruit, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, vegetable oil and liver oil

Selenium:
Fish & shellfish, red meat, grains, eggs, chicken, goji berries and garlic

Phytonutrients:
Flavonoids / polyphenols - found in tea, soy, red wine, pomegranate, cranberries, purple grapes

Lycopene - found in watermelon, tomatoes, pink grapefruit

Lignans - found in flax seed, oatmeal, barley, rye, blueberries

There are many other foods rich in phytonutrients so its best to consult the various lists available either in reference books or on the internet.

So the best plan to get all the antioxidants you need is to eat a diet rich in a variety of the above foods. But if you can't do that every day, should you supplement? Science is still debating that question. A cornucopia of conflicting studies have been performed as to the benefits of supplementation. Certainly too much of a given vitamin can be dangerous so do not over supplement. But if you cannot ensure that you are getting your 5-8 recommended daily allowances of fruits and vegetables you can decide for yourself if there is a supplement that is right for you.

If you do supplement consider taking a liquid vitamin since many studies have suggested that the absorption rate of a liquid vitamin is much higher than that of a pill vitamin. While we cannot generalize since there are many sophisticated high-end pill vitamins that can deliver quality nutrition, many studies have suggested that the lower end over-the-counter pill vitamins have an absorption rate of only around 10%. Compare that with some liquid vitamins which may be between 90-98%. The most important thing with a supplement is how it makes you feel. You should feel energized when you are getting all the nutrition you need.

Whatever you do, live healthy, don't stress, and eat your vegetables!