Antioxidants Lurk in Whole Foods for Better Health

Research and common sense tells us that nature's provision of antioxidants provides individuals with protection in terms of anti-aging, disease contradication, and degeneration due to the wages of time alone.

While vitamins are typically recognized by many people, say the term "antioxidant" and you may get varying responses.

So what exactly is an antioxidant? Chemistry.about.com states an antioxidant is:

"An enzyme or other organic molecule that can counteract the damaging effects of oxygen in tissues. Although the term technically applies to molecules reacting with oxygen, it is often applied to molecules that protect from any free radical (molecule with unpaired electron)."

Quite a mouthful. Translated down to layman's terms, it is easiest to define antioxidants by giving some primary examples of this amazing health protection.

Antioxidants are found in:

Beta-carotene:

Carotene is comprised of two isomers, with beta-carotene best known as the most common form. Found in yellow, orange, and green leafy fruits and vegetables, train yourself to shop the outer rims of grocery stores (the produce, dairy, meat and cheese aisles) verus the inner aisles stuffed full of high caloric goodies. In the produce section look for carrots, spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, broccoli, cantaloupe, orange, and winter squash. Check your produce for color. The more intense the fruit or vegetable color, as a rule, the greater the concentration of beta-carotene.

Beta carotene helps put the breaks on excess build up of free radicals which damage the body. One factor to keep in mind, beta-carotene is fat soluble and does store in the body. This helpful antixodiant helps ensure that with a proper diet of fruits and vegetables your body receives and keeps much of the beta-carotene for use in the body.

Lycopene:

Tomatoes and particulary tomato juice has been proven by research to be the best and most efficient way to absorb recommended doses of lycopene. Tomato sauce, paste, and ketchup also provide the body with this important antioxidant. The beauty of taking in lycopene through tomatoe products is that the temperature change inside the body allows for lycopene to be processed quickly and absorbed more easily.

Lycopene is deposited in the liver, lungs, prostate gland, colon, and skin. Preliminary research even suggests one can reduce one's risk of lung, bladder, cervix, and skin cancer, along with macular degenerative disease and serum lipid oxidation with lycopene.

Vitamin E

It's unfortunate but most people do not take in enough of this wonderful vitamin on a daily basis. Through the foods we consume, we absorb approximately 15 mg. Taking an additional supplement of vitamin E is highly recommend beginning at 200 mg level. Each person is different by the average of 400 to 800 mg a day can do wonders. The proper foods high in vitamin E include nuts, green leafy vegetables, along with fortified cereals.

A double-blind, randomized "multicenter" study of 341 patients also has revealed that Alzheimer's patients respond to vitamin E. There is evidence that "delays in the deterioration of the performance of activities of daily living and the need for care" result from their intake of vitamin E.

As the population of baby boomers increases, the need to maintain health and an active lifestyle becomes increasingly important. Check your antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, amino acids and the like.

Keep healthy, stay happy.

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