Natural antioxidants, what they are and in which foods to find them

By antioxidants we mean enzymes or simple molecules capable of counteracting free radicals and, therefore, carrying out a protective action on cells.

In fact, the damage that free radicals can cause is now well known, such as, for example, cellular aging, the weakening of the immune system and even damage to our genetic heritage.

Antioxidants prevent or slow down the oxidation reactions of other substances: this is possible because they themselves oxidize instead of cellular structures.

For this reason they can be considered real “antagonists” of free radicals.

Free radicals, what are they

Free radicals are nothing more than unstable molecules capable of triggering chain reactions that can cause very serious damage. In fact, they make our defense system ineffective, causing cellular degeneration, poor skin elasticity and in some cases even pathologies.

In fact, when the production of free radicals is excessive and/or the quantity of antioxidants is not sufficient, a condition of oxidative stress and the continuation of this condition can cause the onset of some neurodegenerative pathologies.

Free radicals can form in our body for various causes:

• External following excessive exposure to chemicals, pollution, ultraviolet rays, etc.
• Internal due to poor nutrition, drug or alcohol abuse, smoking, psychological stress or excessively intense physical activity.

A healthy organism is absolutely capable of defending itself from the attack of free radicals, but it is possible to "help" it with a healthy diet which includes a sufficient quantity of foods containing natural antioxidants.

Endogenous and Exogenous Antioxidants

As we said previously, the body is able to defend itself from the harmful effects of free radicals through the presence of some enzymes capable of counteracting oxidizing agents.

data-mce-fragment="1">glutathione, the coenzyme Q and the enzymes catalase e superoxide dismutase (SOD).

Many other natural antioxidants, called exogenous, are taken in with food and are of considerable importance because they form an additional protection network for our body.

Natural antioxidants: where to find them?

Some foods, especially those of plant origin, contain many substances with more or less marked antioxidant action.

Among the best known we find some vitamins such as C and E, then polyphenols and carotenoids, but let's see in detail where to find these substances.

vitamin C (or ascorbic acid) is present mainly in vegetables such as asparagus, spinach and cabbage and in fruit, such as citrus fruits or in rose hips, while vitamin E is found within vegetable oils and dried fruit.

Instead, polyphenols include a vast and heterogeneous group of natural substances, including flavonoids, which have a positive effect on health of the organism.

The flavonoids constitute the largest group of natural phenolics and each flavonoid can be more or less present in different types of vegetables such as fruit, plants, fresh vegetables, but they are also found in green tea, in wine and in cocoa.

For example, the catechins (or flavanols) are found inside some fruits but especially in the green tea or in cocoa in powder e in granella. Or, the anthocyanins are found in particular in berries such as acai or in red fruits.

Finally, carotenoids are plant pigments of a lipid nature, present in many fruit and vegetables with a color ranging from yellow to red, such as tomatoes, peppers, pumpkin, apricots, etc.

Antioxidants and Nutrition

Getting a good dose of antioxidants through your diet is the best way to prevention. However, the concentration of these substances varies considerably from product to product.

Another thing to keep in mind is cooking and long storage, which can affect the action of antioxidants present in foods. For example, vitamin C degrades easily following cooking and is also very volatile. Other antioxidant substances, such as vitamin E, are more resistant. Still others, such as the lycopene present in tomatoes, are even activated by cooking.

Furthermore, it is important to establish whether the protective action derives from individual antioxidant substances or from their "natural combination" in foods.

Therefore, if for some reason it is necessary to integrate this type of substance into your diet you can resort to food supplements, but it is always better to opt for a fruit-based food supplement, such as acai and rosa canina, or plants, as in the case of moringa, rather than artificially synthesized supplements.

Sources:

• https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiossidante
• https://www.issalute.it/index.php/la-salute-dalla-a-alla-z-menu/a/antiossidanti
• https://www.fondazioneveronesi.it/magazine/articoli/alimentazione/antiossidanti-le-sentinelle-della-nostra-salute