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Antioxidants: Things You Must Know
Have you been hearing all the hype about antioxidants and how important they are to a good diet and to your health overall? The importance of antioxidants is growing increasingly clear to physicians and scientists who are considering them. It's thought that they can slow the advance of certain diseases as well as the degeneration of tissue and cells in the body.
Antioxidants really aren't as complicated as some might think. They work to neutralize what are called free radicals, which are components that when left unchecked are highly destructive and dangerous to the body in many ways.
The body naturally produces free radicals and this is just part of its normal processes; it needs these components to breathe and to function. Typically the body's own defenses neutralize these free radicals over the course of time so that they are then harmless once they're no longer needed. But often the body's defenses are compromised due to illness or other weaknesses, and this means those free radicals are not neutralized the way they should. Other compromises to the body's defenses can include pollution in the environment, overexposure to the sun's UV rays, and even too much alcohol.
Damage can occur to the body when free radicals are not neutralized. It can result in premature aging and a break down on a cellular level. This can also play a part in certain illnesses a person may suffer, from heart disease to even cancer!
Many people take vitamin supplements that contain antioxidants such as Vitamin E and C, but supplements are never a substitute for a healthy, balanced diet. This is because foods contain far more elements that work as antioxidants than supplements ever could; some estimate the number at over 4,000! The key to getting antioxidants into your system is definitely through a healthy diet. The only way to get them into the system is to ingest foods like fruits and vegetables and whole grains; these contain all of the lesser known antioxidants that you won't find in a supplement. The role that these lesser know antioxidants play in good health is being appreciated more and more every day.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is also called ascorbic acid and is typically the most commonly know of all the antioxidant vitamins. It can be found in all the body's fluids and seems to help the body ward off infection and disease. Since it is found in a fluid form it cannot be stored in the body for long and must be consumed every day. So you should make it a point to eat Vitamin C containing foods frequently, such as green leafy vegetables, broccoli, strawberries and green peppers.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is found in the liver and is believed to delay premature aging. It too is a very important antioxidant and should be consumed every single day. Food sources of Vitamin E include nuts, seeds, whole grains, fish, vegetable oil, and green leafy vegetables. Make sure to eat some of these every day.
The Importance of Beta-carotene
Were you aware that the pink coloring of flamingos was a result of their consumption of beta-carotene? Beta-carotene is the most commonly understood carotenoids of the 600 that are presently being studied. Fruit skins are protected from sun radiation damage by this chemical. Some say that humans can also be saved from pollution and radiation by it! It can be found it many vegetables (especially dark ones) including carrots, apricots, leafy greens, kale, sweet potatos and squash. A good diet should include numerous foods that contain beta-carotene.
The Importance of Selenium
Selenium is a mineral and is an important part of a healthy diet; many believe it prevents cell damage in the body. This can mean helping the body to prevent cancer and certain degenerative diseases. It is dangerous to consume too much selenium through supplements so it is best taken through foods. This would mean fish, whole grains, red meat, poultry, eggs, and even garlic. Even some vegetables contain selenium.
Maintaining a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables can lower one's risk of heart disease, heart attacks, certain cancers, and many other conditions as well. Some even believe that a good 35% of cancer deaths are the result of one's very poor diet! This means diets that are high in fat and other harmful elements and low in fruits and vegetables; these can have a direct contribution to the number of deaths due to cancer every year.
Of the 600 or so carotenoids that are being studied every day, beta-carotene is the most commonly known. This substance works to protect fruit skins from harm from the sun's radiation.
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