Antioxidants Explained
What are antioxidants and what is free radical damage?
In short antioxidants prevent or delay some cell damage. Diets high in vegetables and fruits will be high in antioxidants, as these kinds of foods contain antioxidants. Examples of antioxidants: vitamin C, vitamin E, Vitamin C, selenium, carotenoids such as beta-carotene (vitamin A complex) and lutein. With regards to kitchen spices in relation to Lesson 6, clove has the highest mean antioxidant value, followed by peppermint, allspice, cinnamon, oregano, turmeric, rosemary, thyme, sage, rosemary, saffron, and estragon.
Free radicals are highly unstable molecules that are naturally formed when we exercise and when our bodies convert food into energy. Free radical damage can also increase due to environmental factors such as smoking, high sugar diets, air pollution and sunlight. Free radicals cause oxidative stress which can trigger cell damage. Oxidative stress has been connected to diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and eye diseases.
How can we prevent damage from free radicals in the body?
The loss of electrons is called oxidation, and as a results of oxidation free radicals can be created. Free radicals are electron hungry species. They can snatch electrons from any other molecules and enzymes.
Molecules are the smallest particle of substance that has all the physical and chemical properties of that substance. Molecules are made up of atom. For example, amino acids are molecules that combine to form proteins. Amino acids and proteins are the building blocks of life.
Enzymes are proteins that help speed up metabolism, or the chemical reactions in our bodies.
Free radicals can also harm DNA cells by stealing electrons from DNA.
However, our body can fight back against the harmful effects by using scavenging mechanisms such eating a diet rich in vegetables in fruits, which are foods that tend to be high in antioxidants.
Antioxidants prevent the harmful effects of free radicals by neutralising them. How does this process happen? most atoms have paired electrons which makes them stable, whereas free radicals have unpaired electrons, it is this unpairing that causes the damage to other cells in the body and to DNA, a bit like creating rust in a car, the same thing can happen in our bodies. Antioxidants neutralise free radicals by giving up some of their own electrons to help balance the free radicals out so they become stable. In making this sacrifice, they act as a natural ‘off’ switch for the free radicals. This helps break a chain reaction that can affect other molecules in the cell and other cells in the body. See images below.