Antioxidant Foods

A diet that is full of beneficial antioxidants can protect against cancer. Antioxidants are chemical molecules that prevent oxidation of our cells. Antioxidants are considered to combat harmful free radicals and are considered important for our health. Vitamins A, C and E are antioxidants, of which vitamin C and E are the main antioxidants. While minerals selenium, zinc, copper and magnesium are included in some enzymes with antioxidant characteristics. The coenzyme Q10 is also an antioxidant that the body can produce itself, but this production declines with age.

Antioxidants are considered inferior as dietary supplements compared to pure food. Food that has a strong color often contains good amounts of antioxidants, red (strawberries), green (green tea), blue (blueberries), purple (acai), black (prunes). Antioxidants are plentiful in fruit and vegetables, dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach. All brassicas are super antioxidants. Carotenoids (carotene) containing yellow and red plant dyes are also good antioxidants, such as carrots, red peppers and pomegranates. Antioxidants are also found in nuts and seeds.

The body can also produce antioxidants by itself, so-called endogenous antioxidants. Antioxidants foods improves the body’s ability to produce these endogenous antioxidants, so you should think about what antioxidants your food contains. The body tries to self-balance and create the body’s own antioxidants needed to bind the free radicals, in case of a bodily imbalance the free radicals can lead to diseases, such as cancer. They are very good for combating cardiovascular disease, premature aging, gray hair, cataracts, inflammation, neurodegenerative diseases such as parkinson’s, alhzeimer and senile dementia. They can also prevent cancer.

Green tea is considered to have six times more antioxidant power than black tea. Red wine is a good antioxidant and can be consumed a few times a week in smaller quantities. Coffee is also considered to have antioxidant properties. Smoking increases the number of free radicals and is therefore not good.

There are several other substances in our food that counts as antioxidants and new one are found all the time. Lycopene is found in tomatoes and flavonoids found in soy, red wine, black tea and green tea are some of these antioxidants. Astaxanthin the red color of the fish makes it another good antioxidant food. There are also plenty of selenium in fish. Sulfur is a part of many antioxidants. Glutathione and liponacid is a type of antioxidants the body can produce itself. Two enzymes with antioxidant propertiesthat are produced in the liver is superoxiddismutas and glutationperoxidas. Superoxiddismutasis comes in 2 forms, these are dependent on manganese and iron and zinc and copper. Glutationperoxidas is dependent on selenium. Nuts and seeds, dark green leafy vegetables and wholemeal products includes these minerals.