Understanding The Importance Of Antioxidants

By Jonathan Judd


A lot of health experts are advocating fruit and veggies to be included in a daily diet. There are many good reasons to the advice; however one of the reasons is the antioxidants that almost all veggies and fruits supply. However what are antioxidants? Why are they so important?

Oxidation process exists in all places from piece of pear turning brownish color to rust on a piece of metal. It is a common activity that also happens inside a body. Our body handles oxidation well, but occasionally it leads to cell damage. The damaged cells are referred to as free radicals. Free radicals are molecules with unpaired electron. Due to the fact it is unpaired, it will try to take an electron from other molecules. Once this action becomes intense, it can cause various health problems such as cancer, heart disease and arthritis. Pollution, radiation and cigarette smoke lead to the growth of free radicals as well. Antioxidants are compounds that neutralize free radicals.

By supplying an electron to free radicals, antioxidants prevent cell damage. It is important to consume healthy foods that provide antioxidants every day to be in good health. Most fruit and veggies make the perfect source of antioxidants because of vitamins E and C. Vitamins are acknowledged to be one of the best antioxidants. Fruits and vegetables such as strawberry, kiwi, papaya, spinach, bell pepper, and broccoli are a wonderful source of vitamin C and E. But these vitamins are not the sole supply of antioxidants and actually they are certainly not the most effective source.

Increasingly more dieticians agree with the fact that Epigallocatechin or generally known as EGCG is a more powerful provider of antioxidants compared to vitamins C and E. A lot of experts agree that EGCG is 100 times more effective than vitamin C and 25 times more beneficial compared to vitamin E in eliminating free radicals. EGCG is a substance included in green tea. A number of the widely known tea positive effects include preventions against LDL cholesterol, depressive disorders, cardiovascular disease, cancer and weight gain.

There were a number of laboratory examinations pertaining to the effects of green tea on cancer cells. The results suggest the usage of 300mg of EGCG a day to be the ideal amount. A cup of tea includes roughly 100mg of EGCG. A lot more research studies are in the process, yet for right now 3 cups on a daily basis is a safe amount.

There are a number of methods to consume green tea. Conventional way is to brew and to drink the tea. This is great way particularly when consumed while eating meals. One other common way is to add tea powder to water. Mixing lemon juice with EGCG has been known to improve the health rewards. A simple way is to consume green tea capsules. This is good for folks disliking the taste.




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