



1. Antioxidants prevent cell destructions caused by the action of free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that take away electrons from other molecules and damage them. This is the cause for many diseases.



2. Do you wonder how antioxidants work to prevent diseases? Antioxidants donate electrons to free radicals to stabilize them and this prevents free radicals from invading other cells and causing diseases.



3. Antioxidants play a vital role in anti-aging and keep you young.



4. Antioxidants protect you against heart disease, cancer and other diseases.



5. Your body can produce antioxidant enzymes on its own, which work along with the antioxidants that come with the food you eat.



6. Antioxidant defense system is the major reason why humans live longer than other living creatures.



7. Vitamin E is the powerful antioxidant commonly found in nuts, fortified cereals and sweet potatoes and it helps decrease the development of age-related macular degeneration and cataract.



8. Drinking 2 glasses of tomato juice a day fulfils your lycopene requirement. Lycopene, a powerful antioxidant is also present in watermelons, pink-grapefruits, apricots and pink-guavas.



9. Spices are highly rich in antioxidant content among all the food categories.



10. High beta-carotene intake may shoot up the risk for lung cancer in smokers; Increase in vitamin E intake may raise the risks of prostate cancer and a type of stroke.



References:

1. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/antioxidants.html

2. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/prevention/antioxidants

3. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/antioxidants/introduction.htm

4. http://www.aoa.org/x11817.xml

5. http://www.jacn.org/content/19/5/563.full

