Antioxidants: Everything You Need to Know to Fight Against Diseases (with picture)

Antioxidants exist in foods in forms vitamin, minerals, and other compounds. They are important for your health in terms of preventing diseases, reducing effects of aging, and boosting your immune health.

There are thousands of antioxidants compound out there, but the most common ones are as following:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin C
• Beta-carotene
• Lutein
• Lycopene
• Manganese

Also Read: Vitamin D: Everything You Need to Know to Live Healthy

Why you need antioxidants

Studies show that foods rich in antioxidants are associated with longevity and good health. Antioxidants can help your body fight against diseases (TWEET IT). The most important roles of antioxidants are as below:

Neutralizing the effects of free radicals

Oxygen and sun are must for your body. But when your body uses oxygen, get exposure to UV rays, smoke, and other radiation, reactive oxygen species (ROS), also known as free radicals, are produced in your body. Free radicals are bad for your health because they can damage your healthy cells.

Reducing aging effects

As you get older, your skin starts to degrade. It loses its elasticity and thin out. But there are some conditions that can accelerate your skin’s aging. The main culprit for premature skin aging is free radicals.

And when it comes to skin health antioxidants are supreme. If you take antioxidant rich foods regularly, you can reduce aging effects as well as risk of skin cancer.

Preventing cardiac disease

Oxidation, the addition of oxygen to low-density lipoproteins, leads to the build-up of fatty plaque in artery walls, which can block blood flow to the heart.

A study shows that those who consume high amounts of fruits and vegetables have lower rates of heart disease and stroke. And this is mainly for the role of antioxidants. Nuts are also good for cardiovascular health.

Antioxidants also repair the innermost layer of the arteries, which lower the risk of heart attacks. So foods that are rich in antioxidants should be in your everyday diets.

Reducing the risk of cancer

Studies have showed that free radical damage is associated with cancer development. But antioxidants can help your body prevents cancer development.

Research data also indicate that if cancer cell is developed in one’s body, then antioxidants can accelerate cancer’s spread.

Boosting immune system

As you know that a healthy immune system help you defense against germs. Good immune system helps your body prevent infection and various types of diseases.

But how will you boost your immune system?

Fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants are in the rescue. Antioxidants like vitamin C and vitamin E increase the production of white blood cells, natural killer cells, and antibodies.

Taking sufficient amount of antioxidants you can decrease incidence of some preventive health problems including cancer as well as flus and colds.

How much antioxidants you need

There is really no recommended daily amounts for antioxidants. But experts suggest that you consume a varied diet with at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day and 6-11 portions of grains per day. 

You should take antioxidants from foods. And you should avoid supplements.

But you should take certain antioxidants as the following amounts:

Vitamin A: men need 3,000 IU, women need 2,300 IU, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers need 2,500 IU and 4,300 IU, respectively. And children aged 1-3 years need 1, 000 IU while children aged 4 years and above need 1,300 IU.

Vitamin C: for adults, the recommended dose is 65 to 90 mg a day, and upper limit is 2,000 mg a day. Children aged 1 day to 8 year need 15 to 50 mg vitamin C daily.

Vitamin E: recommended daily allowance of vitamin E for children aged 1-3 years is 6 units, 4-8 years is 7 units, 9-13 years is 11 units, and 13 years and older is 15 units.

Best sources of antioxidants

When it comes to sources of antioxidants, your everyday diet comes first. You should choose foods over supplements.

Here are some of my top recommendations:

Tomatoes

Tomatoes have numerous health benefits including improved eye sight, reduced blood pressure, relief from diabetes, skin problems, decrease cholesterol levels, prevent aging, and reduce risk of cancer.

Most important antioxidants of tomatoes include vitamin A, vitamin c, and lycopene.

Berries

Berries contains phytonutrient called ellegic acid. Studies have shown that people who take foods high in ellagic acid are three times less likely to develop cancer as compared to those who don’t consume enough ellagic acid.

And other antioxidants in berries can help you fight against cancer and chronic diseases. Major nutrients of berries include vitamin C, vitamin A, Folate, Flavonoids, and Ellagenic acid.

The most antioxidant-rich berries include blueberries and strawberries.

Kidney beans

Kidney beans are rich in many essential nutrients including antioxidants. If you eat beans, you can lower the risk of colon cancer, reduce blood cholesterol, and control blood sugar levels.

One-half cup of kidney beans contains around 13,000 antioxidants. And the good news is that bean is available throughout the year.

Kale

Kale is an antioxidant-rich-food. It has great amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, lutein, flavonoids, and beta-carotene.

One cup of the veggie has 206% of your daily recommended dose of vitamin A and 134% of your daily recommended dose of vitamin C.

Studies have shown the contribution of kale in lowering the risk of various types of cancer including cancer of bladder, breast, colon, ovary, and prostate.

Walnuts

 

Walnuts are best-known for their contribution to brain health. But they are also great when it comes to antioxidants.

Just one ounce of walnuts is loaded with sufficient amount of antioxidants good at fighting free radicals.

A study reported that walnuts have higher quality of antioxidants than other nuts. Walnuts hold the largest amounts of antioxidants, as compared to other nuts. The study suggests that these fruits can lower cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other free-radical-based diseases.

Coffee

Coffee is a good source of disease-fighting antioxidants. It can reduce the risk of cancer, type 2 diabetes, and Parkinson’s diseases.

Coffee has more antioxidant activity than green tea and cocoa. Scientists have identified about 1,000 antioxidants in coffee beans. It is estimated that American adults consume about 1,200 milligrams of antioxidants daily from coffee.

Barley

One great source of antioxidants is barley which contains beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, and the enzyme SOD.

Eggs

Eggs are also loaded with the amazing nutrients. A study shows that a single egg contains at least twice as many antioxidant properties as an apple.

Antioxidants in eggs can reduce heart diseases.

Conclusion

Among the all good news, there is a bad news. And the bad news is that if you have not a healthy lifestyle, you will not be benefited by antioxidants foods well. 

So the solution is that you should reduce the intake of sugar, do regular exercise, manage stress, avoid smoking, and get enough sleep to get help from antioxidants.


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