Antioxidants are important substances that fight free radicals. Vegetables and fruits are the best sources of a variety of natural antioxidants.
Antioxidants are important substances that scavenge free radicals. Humans must obtain enough antioxidants through their daily diet to prevent free radicals from causing harm to human health. Vegetables and fruits are the best sources of a variety of natural antioxidants, including vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals such as carotenoids, resveratrol, proanthocyanidins, catechins, quercetin, isoflavones, etc.
The human body can also produce some antioxidants, but the body must contain certain nutrients to accomplish this task. Therefore,
Vitamins A, C, and E are all vitamins with antioxidant activity. Although vitamin B complex itself cannot be called an antioxidant, it has an important impact on the effects of many antioxidants. Coenzyme Q10 and alpha lipoic acid are both vitamin-like substances and powerful antioxidants.
In addition to vitamins C, E and minerals such as magnesium, zinc and selenium, vegetables and fruits also contain many phytochemicals with antioxidant activity.
Many minerals also have antioxidant effects, such as magnesium, zinc and selenium. Magnesium itself is an antioxidant and has an important impact on the body's production of superoxide dismutase (SOD). Superoxide dismutase is one of the most important enzymes for human cells to resist oxidative damage. Its main function is to remove superoxide free radicals produced by aerobic metabolism in the body.
Zinc is one of the components of superoxide dismutase.
Selenium and vitamin E are both antioxidants. When used together, they can achieve complementary antioxidant effects.
In addition to vitamins C, E and minerals such as magnesium, zinc and selenium, vegetables and fruits also contain many phytochemicals with antioxidant activity, such as: beta carotene: carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkins;
Lycopene (licopene): tomatoEggplant, red grapefruit;
Catechin: grape, green tea;
Resveratrol, proanthocyanidins (OPC): grapes, peanuts;
Isoflavone: soybean;
Ellagic acid: strawberry.
Different antioxidants have different protective effects on the human body. For example: Lycopene - protects the prostate (prostate);
Ellagic acid──prevents the digestive system from producing carcinogen nitrosamines;
Superoxide Dismutate (SOD)─has a protective function on the mitochondria. The mitochondria are the parts of human cells responsible for producing energy, and are also the places where free radicals are most likely to be produced;
Proanthocyanidins (OPC)─Protect cardiovascular system.