Ever notice how, as adults, our ears perk up when someone talks about the fountain of youth? In a recent post, I shared five science-based ways to live longer; you may recall them: a heart-healthy diet, exercising, maintaining average body weight, drinking in moderation, and not smoking. Today’s post, I want to drill down to How Do Antioxidants Keep Us Youthful?
First of all, what are antioxidants?
Antioxidants are natural components that help protect the body from harmful free radicals. Antioxidant enzymes help protect and prevent diseases. The term antioxidant refers to molecules that fight or slow down the oxidation process of harmful chemicals in the air and materials in our environment. The bottom line is that antioxidants inhibit oxidation.
Why are free radicals damaging?
Free radicals are unstable, volatile atoms that cause deterioration in the body. First outlined in 1956, scientists thought that free radical damage was the basis for the aging process. In layman’s terms, understanding what free radicals do to the body is my analogy to a bicycle not correctly stored. The free radicals cause oxidation, which is too much exposure to the elements. The bike is exposed and begins to rust over time.
Can you have too many antioxidants?
Our bodies have a delicate balance between free radicals and antioxidant enzymes. When excess antioxidants exist, the body suffers immune suppression (low white blood cells) and inadequate protection to fight off bacteria.
How do antioxidants keep us youthful?
We’ve all heard the term antioxidant used with anti-aging beauty products. Vitamin E, beta carotene, Vitamin C, and selenium are powerful antioxidants often used in age-fighting face creams. These products suggest they help regenerate new, plump skin cells while preventing and repairing age-related damage to the skin.
Other age-related benefits of antioxidants:
Eating food rich in antioxidants, like nuts, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and green tea, increases your body’s antioxidant storage and provides further protection against age-related conditions such as cataracts and macular degeneration and brain-related illnesses like dementia, heart disease, and cancer.
Here is a list of fruits and veggies packed full of antioxidants:
Prunes
Plums
Red Grapes (red grapes have more antioxidant power than green grapes)
Raisins
Blueberries
Strawberries
Raspberries
Cranberries
Cherries
Mangoes
Peaches
Oranges and other citrus fruits
Pomegranates
Melon and watermelon
Goji berries
Kiwi
Leafy greens (kale, spinach, collards, etc.)
Carrots
Tomatoes
Dark Chocolate
Garlic
Spices like cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, and cayenne pepper
Herbs like oregano, parsley, basil, and thyme
Green tea
Almost everything wrong for you can increase your free radical load. Every day, our bodies create free radicals, and we must consume antioxidants to keep our system in balance. Eat a rainbow every day.
Are you making every attempt to eat colorful fruits and veggies every day? I want to hear about it. You can comment via Facebook or the Disqus Blogger Comment App.
As always, thank you for reading. Have a fabulous week.
