Antioxidants are substances found in fruits and vegetables that have been shown to have many health benefits, from reducing the risk of certain cancers to lowering your chances of developing cardiovascular disease. There are thousands of different types of antioxidants, but they all work in the same way: they essentially quench free radicals in your body, which can damage your cells and lead to disease or premature aging. Here are four reasons why you should focus on eating antioxidant-rich foods on a regular basis.
Antioxidants Help Prevent Cell Damage
A healthy diet is full of natural antioxidants that protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are molecules produced when our bodies break down food and during normal metabolism, but can also be caused by stress, sun exposure, radiation, pollutants, and smoking. Antioxidants neutralize these free radicals and prevent them from damaging your cells. This can help reduce your risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, premature aging, etc.
Antioxidants Help Prevent Inflammation
Unsurprisingly, antioxidants have anti-inflammatory properties. When eaten on a regular basis, antioxidants help curb inflammation in your body which can cause a wide variety of health issues—including but not limited to Skin Diseases, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Think blueberries and blackberries. They’re especially potent when consumed with vitamin C (which makes them even more effective), so throw some oranges or lemons on your morning smoothie!
Antioxidants Fight Cancer
Antioxidants are famous for their cancer-fighting abilities, but they’re also great for preventing premature aging. According to a 2011 study published in Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, high dietary intake of antioxidants was associated with a significant reduction in cellular senescence. One study from UCLA showed that eating four or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day can help prevent serious health problems such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes—all without causing weight gain.
They Can Slow Aging
As we age, our bodies begin to slow down in a process called senescence. One of the many things that happen during senescence is free radical production. Free radicals are oxygen molecules that come into contact with living cells and wreak havoc on them by breaking apart their DNA structure, which can lead to cancer or even a faster rate of aging. Antioxidants bind to these harmful particles and deactivate them before they can cause any damage, allowing you to live longer.
The More Colorful the Food, the More Antioxidants it Contains
Most of us know that antioxidants—molecules that may protect against diseases like cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s—are found in colorful fruits and vegetables. But did you know some of them are also common in everyday staples? Ranging from beans to chocolate, these 20 powerhouse foods deliver more antioxidants than anything else on your plate. 1) Beans: One cup (cooked) of black beans contains 25 milligrams of quercetin, a flavonoid antioxidant.
Final Thoughts
Antioxidants are chemicals that help stop or limit the damage to our cells caused by free radicals. Our body uses antioxidants to keep a check on free radicals. This restricts them from causing damage to our body cells. Antioxidants can protect and reverse some of the damage caused by these Free radicals.
