Antioxidants Can Help Fight Free Radicals

Free radicals are the main focus of research when the uses of antioxidants are being researched.  You have probably heard of these damaging free radicals and the problems they can cause in the body, but you might not know how they are formed.  What a free radical is made of is molecules in our body that have an unpaired electron which makes them unstable.  The free radical is attempting to become stable when it goes after another molecule in an effort to gain the missing electron.  What it creates by taking the missing electron is another free radical.  The damage to the body occurs when the chain of free radicals is created coursing through the body.

Free radicals are created in the body by a natural process in most instances.  There are other times when free radicals are created by outside influences such as pollution and smoking.  When the free radicals are in great numbers they will create oxidation in the body.  The attack of the free radicals on other molecules will continue until the cells eventually die.

The damage that is caused by free radicals in the body is heart disease, eye disorders, premature aging, arthritis and cancer.  Antioxidants can help with this difficult and dangerous problem.  They will prevent the damage to the cells by attacking the free radicals.  This will effectively end the chain of damage that is caused by the free radicals in your body.  The studies on antioxidants have shown that antioxidants will help with the immune system, will help with eye problems, keep the cardiovascular function healthy, keep cholesterol levels balanced, and may help with premature aging.

The body naturally produces antioxidant enzymes with glutathione peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase along with vitamins c and e.   

There are a great many fruits and vegetables that contain antioxidants.  There are some great resources you can add to your diet to get the benefits of antioxidants in your body.

Here is a partial list of the beneficial foods that contain antioxidants:

• Curcumin extract is an antioxidant that will work as an anti-inflammatory and will aid in lowering the cholesterol.  It is also an effective antiviral.






• Cruciferous vegetables.  These vegetables that fall into this family are cauliflower, cabbage, mustard greens, broccoli, radishes, turnips and kale. They will aid in the breakdown of cancer causing free radicals in the body.  They are also beneficial in the reduction of cardiovascular disease.






• Ginkgo biloba leaf will help with the oxygen levels in the brain and will help increase your metabolism.  This herb is effective for brain functions as well as other organs in the body.






• Green tea extract is good for your metabolism, dental problems and will aid in your cardiovascular health.  You will also find that green tea is great for your digestion.






• Grape seed extract is good for cancer fighting properties.  It will reduce your cholesterol and will improve your strength.






• Lycopene from tomatoes is good for your prostate and your heart.






• Pine bark extract will keep the collagen stable in your body as well as help with elastin and blood vessels. 
  




• Quercetin is an effective anti-inflammatory and will lower your cholesterol.






• Hawthorn berry extract is good for your circulation and the cardiac muscles.






• Schizandra fruit extract is good for your liver functioning and respiratory system as well as your cardiovascular system.