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The road to our dreams is never an easy trip. Why? We wake up to face new challenges each day, suffering physical stress and exposing ourselves to pollution everywhere. These two, stress and pollution promote oxidation. Oxidation is a process of losing electrons from a chemical element that will lead to production of bad free radicals. These bad free radicals weaken our immune system and deprive us of energy that will result to the acceleration of aging process. Who would want to look old at a young age?

We need protection against free radicals. We need antioxidants.

Antioxidants prevent the damages of free radicals. These free radicals are organic molecules responsible for aging, tissue damage, and even disease. With antioxidants, hey keep our cells healthy and boost our immunity against diseases. That is why antioxidants are important for our bodies.

Antioxidants in our bodies

About 5 percent of the oxygen we breathe is converted into free radicals. When tissue is diseased or damaged, the body’s immune system sends disease fighting cells to the site, where they produce free radicals in an effort to destroy foreign invaders. Imagine our own country being attacked by hostile enemies and no soldiers to fight them? We would be helpless! Likewise, the body also is helpless while it ages or is subjected to environmental pollutants, such as cigarette smoke, overexposure to sunlight, or smog, making it overwhelmed by free radicals. Free radicals may lead to heart disease by oxidizing low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the so-called bad cholesterol. This bad cholesterol leads to hardening of the arteries which can ultimately lead to heart disease. Free radicals have also been implicated in cataract, a clouding of the lens of the eye that can lead to blindness. That is right, our bodies needs antioxidants in order to stay healthy.

What are the dietary sources of antioxidants?

Ascorbic Acid or Vitamin C – It is a well known antioxidant that may prevent cataracts and cancers of the stomach, throat, mouth, and pancreas. It may also prevent the oxidation of LDL, which means low-density lipoprotein or bad cholesterol, lowering the risk of heart disease. Foods that are high in vitamin C include strawberries, oranges, broccoli, and brussels sprouts.

Beta-carotene – It absorbs free radicals that target molecules in the cell membrane. It reduces the risk of cataract, cancer, and heart attack. It may also reduce the risk of stroke. Beta-carotene is found in orange-colored fruits and vegetables and dark green, leafy vegetables like sweet potatoes, spinach, and carrots.

Vitamin E – It may also protect from heart disease and cataract and may strengthen the immune system. Some good sources of vitamin E are wheat germ oil and sunflower seeds.

Antioxidants in Chocolates – We should choose dark chocolate because studies done by researchers found that only dark chocolate was a potent antioxidant. They have established that adding milk to chocolate prevents the body from absorbing the antioxidants in chocolate. Dark chocolate appeared to lower high blood pressure among middle-aged people with mild cases of hypertension.

Other Sources Of Antioxidants

1. Acai Berry - one of the most taken antioxidant rich food supplement today. Indeed, it is a very healthy food that can help you achieve that ideal body condition. This fruit is full of antioxidants and it has also amino acids and protein.

2. Noni Fruit - Noni contains antioxidants considered to have healing properties by generations of Tahitians. It contains powerful bioactive compounds that impart health-maximizing properties.

3. Green Tea Extract - Green tea is made from unfermented leaves and reportedly contains the highest concentration of powerful antioxidants called polyphenols.

4. Phytosterol - All vegetable oils contain trace levels of antioxidants and one of them is phytosterol. Examples of these vegetable oils are corn fiber oil and rice bran oil.

5. Reishi Mushroom Extract – This kind of mushroom has many uses. Aside from being an anti-cancer, it is also an antioxidant.

6. Ginseng Extract – Aside from anti-inflammatory as one of the beneficial effects, it is also an antioxidant.

7. Flaxseed Extract– Just like ginseng, it doesn’t contain anti-inflammatory only, but is also rich in antioxidant element.

8. Grape Seed Extract – It is my favorite antioxidant because most of the above mentioned are not available in our area. It is rich in polyphenols, a compound which is high in antioxidants. It is said that grape seed extract is 20 times more potent than vitamin C and 50 times stronger than vitamin E.

Let's stay healthy by choosing the right diet rich with antioxidants. We need them today because the world is no longer a pollution-free paradise.