Antioxidants are substances that can prevent or slow damage caused by free radicals, unstable molecules that the body produces in response to environmental and other stressors. These compounds are sometimes known as free radical scavengers. Antioxidant sources can be natural or synthetic. Some plant foods are thought to be rich in antioxidants. The body also produces some antioxidants known as endogenous antioxidants.

Antioxidants that come from outside the body are called exogenous. Factors that increase the production of free radicals in the body include inflammation, air pollution, ultraviolet rays and cigarette smoke. Free radicals are associated with oxidative stress, cancer, arthritis, stroke, respiratory disease, immunodeficiency, emphysema (a type of chronic lung disease), Parkinson’s disease, and other inflammatory or ischemic diseases.

The antioxidant properties of dates prevent the occurrence of stomach ulcers; it also reduces the incidence of colon and stomach cancer.

Types of antioxidants

It is thought that there are hundreds and possibly thousands of substances that can act as antioxidants. Each has its own role and is able to communicate with other antioxidants so that the body works effectively. Examples of antioxidants that are obtained from foreign substances are:

Vitamin A

Vitamin C

Vitamin E

beta carotene

Lycopene

lutein

Selenium

Manganese

Zexanthine

Flavonoids, flavones, catechins, polyphenols, and phytoestrogens are a variety of antioxidants and plant nutrients, and they are all found in plant foods. Each antioxidant has a different function and cannot be replaced by another substance. This is why it is important to have a varied diet.

What is an antioxidant? What role do antioxidants play in the body? Are antioxidants absorbed by the body through food or do we need to take supplements? If antioxidants are also obtained through food, then what foods contain this substance? These are the questions that are going to be answered in the upcoming article.

Have you ever wondered what makes blueberries blue and pomegranates red? If you haven’t thought about it until now, it’s good to know that this beautiful red or purple color that you see in fruits and some vegetables is caused by anthocyanin pigments that are naturally present in them.

According to a study published in February 2016 in Current Opinion in Food Science, all fruits contain natural pigments. These pigments produce different colors of fruits. For example, beta-carotene gives carrots their orange color and chlorophyll gives vegetables such as kale and collard greens their green color. But this is not the only role of pigments. These pigments also act as antioxidants.

Antioxidants are compounds that prevent the oxidation of molecules in the body. When molecules in the body are subjected to oxidative stress, they release another toxic side molecule called “free radicals” that can damage the body’s cells. This damage can lead to a person suffering from various incurable diseases such as cancer. Kedai Kurma Malaysia offers you high-quality dates that are famous for their abundant antioxidants.

A study whose results were published in the Journal of Nutritional Sciences in December 2016 showed that antioxidants prevent a person from suffering from various cancers, heart diseases, and eye diseases such as macular degeneration due to the stabilization of cells and their protection against oxidative stress.

According to scientists, antioxidants can help prevent aging and prolong life by creating free radicals. However, more recent research has proven that the true root of aging is much more complex than the presence or absence of antioxidants.