What Are the Health Benefits of Antioxidants

To fully appreciate the benefits of antioxidants, it is necessary to understand the impact that free radicals have on our bodies. Free radicals are unstable molecules which result from the many daily chemical reactions occurring in our bodies. They are entirely natural. Unfortunately, our diets in this modern world are increasingly unnatural and our bodies are often fighting a losing battle against the effects of free radicals.

Free radical counts are increased when we eat foods including margarine, preservatives, fried foods, processed foods, sugar, white flour, meat, butter. Alcohol consumption also increases the body?s free radical count. On top of these dietary stresses, our modern world further burdens our bodies through the impact of pollution, chemicals and other environmental toxins. Free radical molecules contain a free electron which needs to bond with other molecules to become stable. This leads to an ongoing inflammatory condition in the body which ultimately damages the tissues of the body.

One of the most important benefits of antioxidants is that they bind to these free radicals and prevent them causing damage. Another of the benefits of antioxidants is that they keep the cells healthy enabling the immune system to function more effectively; diseases are more often prevented and if not recovery time is often improved. Antioxidants also help physical injuries to heal faster.

Taking an antioxidant supplement can protect the body against the effects of free radicals which increase as a result of oxidative stress in the body and fewer antioxidant defenses due to poor diet. Free radicals also speed up the ageing process, so slowing this process is another of the many benefits of antioxidants. Including an antioxidant supplement in your diet can provide protection against cancer, heart disease, immune dysfunction, eye problems and Alzheimer?s disease. It does this by reducing the amount of oxidation in the body which can cause mutations in the cells and even destroy them altogether.

An antioxidant supplement should not be taken instead of eating a nutritious diet full of natural antioxidants, but as a part of an overall health plan. Unfortunately, the antioxidant needs of our bodies are likely to be higher than can be provided from consuming normal quantities of fruit and vegetables unless they are organic and grown in mineral rich soils. A high quality antioxidant supplement can make all the difference to your health.

There are different antioxidant combinations available as supplements in both synthetic and non-synthetic (natural) formulas. A synthetic antioxidant supplement not only takes a long time to be absorbed by the body, it can cause side-effects. Natural antioxidant combinations, on the other hand, give quick results and do not have side-effects. When choosing between antioxidant combinations look at the label and make sure that the ingredients include Vitamins A, C and E because these vitamins have wonderful antioxidant properties.

Your diet should also be high in green vegetables, carrots, cauliflower and fruits such as strawberries, papaya and all citrus fruits. If you eat foods rich in antioxidants and take a good, natural antioxidant supplement you will experience the many benefits of antioxidants.

This article courtesy of  http://www.mole-4u.com.
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