PLEASE NOTE: The Carrot Museum does not recommend self diagnosis or self medication. The information contained in this web site has not been verified for correctness. Some of the information contained herein is hearsay and may not be correct. Use the information from this page only at your own risk!  If in doubt consult a doctor.
Note: If you have diabetes it is not recommended you eat carrots.

You may have heard about the health benefits of antioxidants, but do you know what an antioxidant is -- and how they actually work?

Antioxidants are the knights in shining armour that subjugate the attack of free radicals in the body, the hazardous molecules that damage cells and procure aging and disease. Though antioxidants are produced naturally in the body, these decline with age, hence there is an increasing need to acquire them from the foods in our diet.

From warding off heart disease to slowing degeneration of the brain and eyes, talk of the health benefits of antioxidants are quite common today. Antioxidants work by neutralizing highly reactive, destructive compounds called free radicals.

The Antioxidant Process

Antioxidants block the process of oxidation by neutralizing free radicals. In doing so, the antioxidants themselves become oxidized. That is why there is a constant need to replenish our antioxidant resources.

How they work can be classified in one of two ways:  

Chain-breaking - When a free radical releases or steals an electron, a second radical is formed. This molecule then turns around and does the same thing to a third molecule, continuing to generate more unstable products. The process continues until termination occurs -- either the radical is stabilized by a chain-breaking antioxidant such as beta-carotene and vitamins C and E, or it simply decays into a harmless product.  

Preventive - Antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase prevent oxidation by reducing the rate of chain initiation. That is, by scavenging initiating radicals, such antioxidants can thwart an oxidation chain from ever setting in motion. They can also prevent oxidation by stabilizing transition metal radicals such as copper and iron.

The effectiveness of any given antioxidant in the body depends on which free radical is involved, how and where it is generated, and where the target of damage is. Thus, while in one particular system an antioxidant may protect against free radicals, in other systems it could have no effect at all. Or, in certain circumstances, an antioxidant may even act as a "pro-oxidant" that generates toxic oxygen species.

Free Radicals

Free radical production is actually a normal part of life, part of the equation of simply breathing in oxygen. Usually, the body's natural defence systems neutralize free radicals that develop, rendering them harmless. However, environmental assaults on the body, such as UV-radiation, pollutants and alcohol, can overpower the body's ability to neutralize free radicals, allowing them to cause damage to the structure and function of the body's cells. There is good evidence that this damage contributes to aging and leads to a host of illnesses, including cancer and heart disease.

Consuming more antioxidants helps provide the body with tools to neutralize harmful free radicals. It's estimated that there are more than 4,000 compounds in foods that act as antioxidants. The most studied include vitamins C and E, betacarotene and the mineral selenium.

Many people think "supplements" when they think about getting more antioxidants. The supplement aisle, however, is not the only place to find these important compounds. Better places include the produce section, the frozen fruit and vegetable section and the whole grains section of your supermarket. Why? Because the foods in these sections come packaged with other complementary nutrients and phytochemicals. They can provide better insurance than supplements that you're getting the antioxidants you need in the right amount and form.

Here are some good food sources of the four most studied antioxidants.

Beta-carotene -- The most studied of more than 600 different carotenoids that have been discovered, beta-carotene protects dark green, yellow and orange vegetables and fruits from solar radiation damage. It is thought that it plays a similar role in the body. It is found in many foods that are orange in colour including,  Carrots, squash, broccoli, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, kale, collards, cantaloupe, peaches and apricots. are particularly rich sources of beta-carotene.

Vitamin C -- Also called ascorbic acid, vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin found in all body fluids, so it may be one of our first lines of defence. This powerful antioxidant cannot be stored by the body, so it's important to get some regularly -- not a difficult task if you eat fruits and vegetables. Important sources include citrus fruits, green peppers, broccoli, green leafy vegetables, strawberries, raw cabbage and potatoes. It is also found in cereals, beef, poultry and fish.

Vitamin E -- A fat-soluble vitamin also known as alpha-tocopherol, it can be stored with fat in the liver and other tissues, vitamin E is promoted for a range of purposes -- from delaying aging to healing sunburn. While it's not a miracle worker, it's another powerful antioxidant. Important sources include wheat germ, nuts (almonds), seeds, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, mangos  corn and soybean  oil and fish-liver oil.

Selenium -- Selenium is a mineral, not an antioxidant nutrient. However, it is a component of antioxidant enzymes. This mineral is thought to help fight cell damage by oxygen-derived compounds and thus may help protect against cancer. It is best to get selenium through foods, as large doses of the supplement form can be toxic. Good food sources include fish, shellfish, red meat, grains, eggs, chicken and garlic. Vegetables can also be a good source if grown in selenium-rich soils. 

The amount of selenium in soil, which varies by region, determines the amount of selenium in the foods grown in that soil. Animals that eat grains or plants grown in selenium-rich soil have higher levels of selenium in their muscle. In the United States, meats and bread are common sources of dietary selenium. Brazil nuts also contain large quantities of selenium.

Lutein, best known for its association with healthy eyes, is abundant in green, leafy vegetables such as collard greens, spinach, and kale.

Lycopene is a potent antioxidant found in tomatoes, watermelon, guava, papaya, apricots, pink grapefruit, blood oranges, and other foods. Estimates suggest 85 percent of American dietary intake of lycopene comes from tomatoes and tomato products. 

General recommendations

Every time they neutralise a free radical, the antioxidant loses an electron and stops being able to function as an antioxidant. This is why you must continually re-supply your body with the vitamins and other chemicals that act as antioxidants.

In light of the role free radicals play in the onset of aging and disease, it is important to ensure our diets include a rich, diverse and constant  supply of antioxidants. These protective agents can be found abundantly in vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds and are particularly high in superfoods, like Carrots!

Research is divided over whether or not antioxidant supplements offer the same health benefits as antioxidants in foods. Antioxidants are compounds in foods that scavenge and neutralise free radicals. Evidence suggests that antioxidant supplements don’t work as well as the naturally occurring antioxidants in foods such as fruits and vegetables.

The Carrot Museum recommends that people eat a wide variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and dairy products every day. The diet should include five daily serves of fruit and vegetables. One serve is a medium-sized piece of fruit or a half-cup of cooked vegetables.

Of course, in addition to eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, getting regular exercise and abstaining from tobacco use are also critical to a healthy lifestyle

But as always - see your doctor or dietitian and health physician for specific advice.

A bit of history

The term antioxidant (also "antioxygen") originally referred specifically to a chemical that prevented the consumption of molecular oxygen. In the 19th and early 20th century, antioxidants were the subject of extensive research in industrial processes such as the corrosion of metals, explosives, the vulcanization of rubber, and the knocking of fuels in internal combustion engines.

 Early nutrition researchers focused on the use of antioxidants for preventing the oxidation of unsaturated fats, the cause of rancidity. Antioxidant activity could be measured simply by placing the fat in a closed glass container with oxygen and observing the rate of oxygen consumption. However, it was the identification of vitamins A, C, and E as antioxidants that revolutionized the field and led to the realization of the importance of antioxidants in biology.

The possible mechanisms of action of antioxidants were first explored thoroughly by Moreau and Dufraisse (1926), who recognized that a substance with anti-oxidative activity is likely to be one that is itself a target for oxidation. Research into how vitamin E prevents the process of lipid peroxidation led to the current understanding of antioxidants as reducing agents that break oxidative chain reactions, often by scavenging reactive oxygen species before they can cause damage to the cells. 

NOTE:The information on this website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a replacement for medical advice from your personal physician.

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