How Antioxidant Foods Prevent Aging

Most healthy living strategies today emphasize the amazing antiaging properties of antioxidant foods, but what exactly are antioxidants and how do they actually prevent aging? How much of the antioxidant craze is hype and how much is good practical advice?

Antioxidants are micronutrient chemical compounds present in all foods richin vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, or selenium. Antioxidant foods prevent aging by neutralizing specific toxic byproducts of digestion called ‘free radicals'. By binding with the free radicals, they render them harmless so they can be washed out the body safely.

An easy, non technical way to identify antioxidant foods is to look for bright natural colors. Bright or deep green, yellow, red, orange, purple, or blue fresh fruits and vegetables are almost always antioxidant-rich. Fresh fatty fish like salmon and cod, and free-range meats and eggs also contain antioxidants.

When the body breaks down food during the process of digestion, some of the byproducts created can actually cause disease. These chemical byproducts, called ‘free radicals', are quickly washed out of the body when produced in small quantities. However when a diet consists of too much processed, low quality food,the body cannot effectively rid itself of these ‘free radicals'. These toxic compounds build up and linger, and then begin to attack and break down normal cells.

The result of ‘free radical' breakdown of healthy cells is aging or disease or both.
Antioxidant foods are not only easier to digest than processed foods, they actually bind with ‘free radicals' and render them harmless. By neutralizing free radicals, antioxidant foods prevent or slow down the cellular breakdown that causes aging. Aging is really nothing more than cellular damage. It will happen over time as part of a natural process common to all living things, but it doesn't have to happen fast.

Another common cause of aging is environmental toxins like pesticides, air pollution, cigarette smoke, and chemical additives and preservatives. Like the toxic byproducts that are created during the digestion of processed foods, environmental toxins attack cells, break down cellular structures, and interfere with the normal healthy functions of cells. The nutritional compounds available in antioxidant foods also bind with environment toxins so they can be carried out of the body as waste.

Clearly, one of the cheapest and easiest ways to prevent aging is to eat as many foods rich in antiaging antioxidants as possible. At the same time, it is also importantto limit consumption of processed foods and prevent exposure to environmental toxins.

One easy way to pack a diet with antioxidant foods is to follow the popular ‘5-a-day'rule-of-thumb for adding fruits and vegetables. Every day, eat at least five generous servings of brightly colored fresh fruits and vegetables (but do not pile on butter or other fatty dressings). Some of the best choices include blueberries, cherries, peppers of all colors, squash and pumpkin, carrots, and dark green cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, and bok choi.

The 5-a-day dietary strategy packs a double punch by providing plenty of antiaging antioxidants while at the same time leaving little room for unhealthy food cravings. In other words, antioxidant foods prevent aging and are delicious and satisfying too, making weight management easy, pleasurable, and simple.

In summary, antioxidant foods prevent aging the old-fashioned way: Through proper nutrition and fresh clean food. Your mother's advice to "Eat your vegetables"is still one of the best and most affordable antiaging strategies around.