Let 's get you the most suitable antioxidant.
FREE RADICALS, OXIDATIVE STRESS AND ANTIOXIDANTS.
What do these three terms mean? Well that is why I wrote this article, to get a deep dive into these terms that are becoming more common given the health status of the society especially this pandemic period.
What are free radicals?
Free radicals are natural byproducts of chemical reactions in the environment and even our bodies via metabolism. They are extremely essential for our survival as they are the means by which chemical energy is obtained from the foods and drinks we take when being broken down during digestion and assimilation into the body. A free radical is an atom with an unpaired electron. Oxygen derived free radicals are also important in the immune system as they form potent oxidant bactericidal agents for combating toxins. Upto this point we have established the importance of free radicals in our bodies. However, accumulation of these radicals is detrimental even to the sectors they are necessary such as our immunity.
Oxidative stress.
Build up of these radicals causes oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is the imbalance between free radicals in the body and the antioxidants that detoxify them. It means you have more free radicals than the body can handle. This causes physiological stress on the body to repair the damaged cells. You are probably wondering how a natural byproduct causes an imbalance.
The symptoms of chronic oxidative stress- illness, premature aging e.g grey hair, fatigue, depression and inflammation, memory loss and brain fog, wrinkles, declining eye sight, headaches, sensitivity to noise and muscle and joint pains.
Our lifestyles are responsible for the extra free radicals causing the imbalance.
Here are some sources of extra free radicals that are potentially harmful:
Fats and oils- unsaturated fats, reused oils and deep fried foods have the harmful lipids.
Alcohol- more than 1 cup for a lady and 2 for a man.
Cooked and processed meats including sausages, bacon, ham, pepperoni and most deli meats.
Excessive antioxidant supplements.
Food, air and water contaminated by pesticides, tobacco and most fried foods.
Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL cholesterol/ bad cholesterol) from fried foods, fast foods, microwave
popcorn, desserts, fried and baked snacks, soft drinks, extra cheese and butter, margarine, red meat, ice cream and
some sea foods e.g lobsters.
This is a good enough list of stuff you shouldn’t be eating.
What are the effects of free radicals to the body?
Free radicals have been associated with various illnesses including:
• Macular and retinal degeneration of the eyes.
• Degenerative diseases- Neural such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease
Cardiac such as Atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, Angina
• Brain tumors, MS, Migraines, Dementia
• Arthritis
• Wrinkles, acne, eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, skin cancer.
• Nephritis
They could likewise change DNA structure as they break the cell membrane exposing the lipids within the cells.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are a type of antitoxins that prevent or slow down damage to cells by inhibiting oxidation of the free radicals. They are the bodies’ defenses against free radicals and oxidative stress. They are found in our foods and some produced by the bodies.
Which antioxidant is most suitable for you?
While antioxidants are good for our bodies some sources may be expensive and above your budget e.g walnuts or they could be adding extra carbohydrates which you do not desire. Here is a classification of antioxidants in relative to other bodily requirements; killing two birds with one stone.
• Poor eyesight- spinach, liver
Spinach contains lutein and zeaxanthin which protect the eye against UV and harmful wavelengths hence bound to boost your eyesight.
Liver is rich in Vit A which aids in vision and prevents night blindness.
• Cancer patients- beans, beets, raspberries, artichokes
Beans(2mmol/100g) are rich in Kaempferol which reduces chronic inflammation and helps with cancer of bladder, kidney, breast and lungs.
Beets (1.7mmol/100g) have betalains for colon cancer and others affecting the digestive track. They are also rich in iron, folate, potassium and fibre. Beets also relieve osteoarthritis pain and inflammation.
Raspberries(4.8mmol/100g) are good for desserts and are heavily packed with manganese and Vit C. help with cancer of the stomach, colon and breast.
• Liver diseases- artichokes(4.7mmol/100g).
They contain chlorogenic acid for cancers, diabetes and the heart. Best prepared by steaming that raises its antioxidant levels by 15x while frying reduces their effectiveness.
• Skin care- goji berries(4.3mmol/100g), red cabbage
Goji berries are known for their richness in minerals and vitamins. Lycium barbarum polysaccharide which
reduces skin aging too.
Red cabbage is rich in Vit. C and anthocyanins for immunity and skin. Prepare by boiling and frying rather than
steaming to increase effectiveness.
• Brain productivity- blueberries(9.2mmol/100g).
This is probably the most common berry and highest in antioxidants. They are widely known to delay decline in
brain function with aging.
• Heart diseases- dark chocolate(15mmol/100g), strawberries(5.4mmol/100g), artichokes, garlic, grapes.
Dark chocolate has more cocoa and reduces systolic pressure. Next time at the store favor these dark ones over
other varieties.
Strawberries especially the red ones have a lot of anthocyanin which reduces bad
cholesterol in the blood vessels.
Grapes contain resveratrol which are good for the heart. A cup of red wine or two at most will probably do you
some good.
• Low carb. Antioxidants- beets, berries, artichokes, kale, beans
• High carb. Antioxidants- walnuts, sweet potatoes, pecans, coffee with cream and sugar
• Calcium packed- kale, liver
• Spices- these are the most densely packed with antioxidants.
Greenmint-142.6/100g, cinnamon- 139.9mmol/ 100g, cloves- 125.6mmol/100g, oregano- 72.8mmol/100g and
basil- 28.1mmol/100g, red pepper, garlic, e.t.c.
Remember to also exercise regularly to help detoxify your body and significantly prevent oxidative stress.
Taking control by taking action.