Foods high in antioxidants and how antioxidants protect your health and make you look great
When oxygen is consumed by the cells in our body, free radical cells are naturally formed. These free radicals run around and try to join packs to stay strong and once they have a big enough gang, they start hanging out in our muscles so they can get some free food as our blood tries to deliver nutrients to our organs. These free radicals are molecules that have a missing electron and they are trying hard to find a spare electron or steal electrons from vital cell structures in our body. When they do steal an electron from other essential cells in our body, they cause damage and done long enough and persistently they can even cause diseases.
If free radicals gang up and accumulate, they get stronger and start damaging tissues and even the DNA of our cells. Cooking at high temperatures (specially fried onions, and fried burgers and fries), environmental pollutions, smoking, excessive alcohol, and unprotected sun exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun, and stress can all contribute to the formation of free radicals hell bent on damaging our body through stealing electrons from other essential cells.
The entire function of our body, from birth onwards, is to create new cells to replace older cells. This keeps us young and healthy and growing. When our body is subjected to excessive amounts of cell damage caused by free radicals, then we start to catch colds, be more susceptible to flues, and even worse, more prone to chronic diseases.
Antioxidants can help us dramatically and relatively quickly when cell damage is taking place. These angels donate electrons so that free radicals don’t steel electrons from other essential cells in our body. Once free radicals get an electron, their molecular structure changes and become able to contribute rather than be a nuisance or cause harm. Nutrients like beta-carotene, vitamin C, and vitamin E, are all antioxidants that block cell damage by keeping you healthy and help keep your cell reproduction and rejuvenation for a younger looking skin for much longer.
Consider these angels donating their electron to neutralize the harmful effects of free radicals. They exist to make you healthier, stronger, and younger looking.
To stay younger looking and to have a more healthy and energetic lifestyle consider reducing your exposure to free radicals that cause cell deterioration and try to consume vitamin C, E and beta carotenes to help protect your cells. Each antioxidant has its own unique effect and works as a guardian angel to protect your organs.
Here’s a list of your guardian angels found in foods:
Vitamin C
Strawberries, papayas, oranges, red/green bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, raspberries, blackberries, and grapefruits.
Vitamin E
Seeds, nuts, tomatoes, Turnips, beet, spinach, and broccoli.
Carotenoids: Beta-carotene
Turnip, beet, spinach, squash, red bell pepper, carrots, broccoli, apricots, cantaloupe, and mangoes.
Carotenoids: Alpha-carotene
Turnip, beet, spinach, carrots, squash, apples, and plums.
Selenium
Turnips, brazilian nuts, bran, oats, brown rice, and orange juice.
The best sources of antioxidants are actually foods that contain them. You can get vitamin E from tea tree oil or vitamin E extracted oils. But foods are the best sources that get absorbed directly, quickly and effectively. Fruits and vegetables provide a wide variety of antioxidants that can protect your body’s vital functions, as shown by many studies.
However, do consider that insufficient intake of water or excessive loss of water can result in dehydration and water helps the body function at its optimum and let the guardian angels (antioxidants) to do their part and donate electrons to stop free radicals from attacking other cells in the body. Drink clean and filtered water throughout the day to keep your body hydrated and help antioxidants fight for you.
Stay well.
