What Is Antioxidant?

Before we can understand how antioxidants work in our body and help to protect us from chronic degenerative diseases, let us look at the meaning of the word "antioxidant"

Anti = against, opposing, remedial in nature

= oxidant known as free radicals, is a substance produced in the human body over a million cells a process that uses oxygen during oxidative reactions. These oxidants then cause damage to cells, tissues, DNA, proteins and fats, which leads to chronic diseases (heart disease, allergies, cancer, lung disorder, low immune system, arthritis, etc. ).

So the word antioxidant means "against" the "free radicals" generated in our bodies.

We must first realize that there is no way that people can prevent themselves from free radical damage, we can only reduce its destructive effects on the vey minimum level that allows our body's natural anti-oxidants to work on the sewer functions.

(Some of the enzymes in our bodies act as natural antioxidants are superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione. The changes of superoxide dismutase structure of oxidants and are broken down into hydrogen peroxide. Catalase in turn, breaks down hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen to tiny particles or gases . glutathione is a detoxifying agent, which binds with different toxins to change their shape, so they are able to leave the body as waste ).

Unfortunately, in our modern lifestyle, we are constantly exposed themselves to risk factors that make our body non-stop in the production of free radicals, such as:

- Stress
- Pollution (air, water, sunlight)
- Not a healthy diet (high carb and fat, but low-fiber diet or alcoholic beverages)
- Smoking (2nd hand smokers)
- Radiation (handphone, TV, invisible wireless broadband connection)
- medicines
As a result of the above risk factors, we are constantly when "modern" disease happens to people around us, even to themselves. So that is where the health supplement comes in our diet.

for each nutrient that is available in our diet, it is determined by the RDA (recommended dietary allowance), which is defined as the average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirement for a healthy individual. According to the U.S. Food and Nutrition Board (FNB), each individual RDA vary by gender and age. Due to modern lifestyles and unhealthy diet, most individuals receive their daily nutrients that are lower than their required RDA.

Most health supplement on the market target the oxidative reactions at the cellular level to reduce the destructive effects of free radicals, they are mostly a group under the "antioxidant" category.

source of antioxidants:

There are a wide range of categories of antioxidants, such as:

- Carotenoid terpenoids (eg, lutein, zeaxanthin, beta carotene)
- Phenolics and esters (eg chiroric acid, gallic acid)
- Vitamin and mineral cofactor (co-enzyme Q10, iodine, manganese)
- Flavanoid polyphenolics (cyanidin, hesperidin, quercetin, an isoflavone phytoestrogen)
- Other flavanoid polyphenolics (xanthones)
- Vitamins (A, C, E)
So where do we get our supply of antioxidants?

It can be obtained from food mainly vegetables and fruits, view the list below:

vitamins and carotenoids - carrots, zucchini, broccoli, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, kale, collards, cantaloupe, peaches and apricots (bright colored fruits and vegetables !)

Vitamin C - Citrus fruits like oranges and lime etc, green peppers, broccoli, green leafy vegetables, strawberries and tomatoes

Vitamin E - Nuts and seeds, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, vegetable oil and liver oil

Selenium - Fish and shellfish, red meat, grains, eggs, chicken and garlic

Other common antioxidants:

Flavonoids / polyphenols -. Soy, red wine, purple grapes or Concord grapes, pomegranate, cranberry, tea

Lycopene - tomatoes, pink grapefruit, watermelon

.

Lutein -. Dark green vegetables such as kale, broccoli, kiwi, broccoli, spinach

Lignan -. Flax, oats, barley, rye

So how much do I need to take all of the above foods in accordance with our RDA?

Based on the age of 35yo woman, estimated RDA for each nutrient is about numbers in this table:
Vitamin A = 700 (micro-grams)
Vitamin C = 75 (mg)
Vitamin D = 5 * (micro-grams)
Vitamin E = 15 (mg)
Vitamin K = 90 * (micro-grams)
thiamin = 1.1 (mg)
riboflavin = 1.1 (mg)
Niacin = 14 (mg)
vitamin B6 = 1.3 (mg)
foliate = 400i (micro-grams)
vitamin B12 = 2.4 (micro-grams)
pantothenic = 5 * (mg)
biotin = 30 * (micro-grams)
choline = 425 * (mg)

= 1000 * Calcium (mg)
chromium = 25 * (micro-grams)
Copper = 900 (micro-grams)
Fluoride = 3 * (mg)
iodine = 150 (micro-grams)
iron = 18 (mg)
Magnesium = 320 (mg)
Manganese = 1.8 * (mg)
molybdenum = 45 (micro-grams)
phosphorus = 700 (mg)
selenium = 55 (micro-grams)
Zinc = 8 (mg)
potassium is 4.7 * (g)
Sodium = 1.5 * (g)
Chloride = 2.3 * (g)

One important point is that we need to be clear on the key concept of an antioxidant research is:

antioxidant intake more than the recommended dietary allowances (RDA) is probably required for optimal health care.
The combination of antioxidants may be more effective than an antioxidant.
So, based on the optimal level of synergistic effect of antioxidants to repair and prevent oxidative reactions in our bodies, basically that's what we need:

Point to consider: whether we are able to consume that amount of food listed in the table everyday? And whether it is cost effective ???

in my next blog will look at how free radicals cause damage our cells and that antioxidants work to protect the scientific cellular level. Stay tune!