What are antioxidants?
“An antioxidant is a substance that inhibits oxidation, especially one used to counteract the deterioration of stored food products, or a substance that removes potentially damaging oxidizing agents in a living organism.”
“Substances that protect the body from damage caused by harmful molecules called free radicals. Many experts believe this damage is a factor in the development of blood vessel disease (atherosclerosis), cancer, and other conditions.”
They’re basically unstable molecules that can react with other molecules.
Your body is exposed to free radicals through various means, such as:
- Through by-products of normal processes that take place in your body (such as the burning of sugars for energy and the release of digestive enzymes to break down food).
- When the body breaks down certain medicines.
- Through pollutants.
How do antioxidants work?
You know that all matter in our universe is made up of atoms. And when connected together, they become molecules. The human body is made up of a bunch of these molecules, forming our DNA, proteins, fats, etc.
When reacting with other molecules, free radicals damage other molecules, like DNA or the cell membrane. This can be very dangerous and even lead to a chain reaction, like dominoes falling. Researchers claim these free radicals may contribute to the development of health conditions like cancer.
Thankfully, antioxidants can fight back against these free radicals by giving them the electrons they need to be properly balanced, effectively neutralizing the threat.
