Antioxidants 101

What are Antioxidants? Benefits of Antioxidants

(HealthCastle.com) Antioxidants are substances or nutrients in our foods which can prevent or slow the oxidative damage to our body. When our body cells use oxygen, they naturally produce free radicals (by-products) which can cause damage. Antioxidants act as "free radical scavengers" and hence prevent and repair damage done by these free radicals. Health problems such as heart disease, macular degeneration, diabetes, cancer etc are all contributed by oxidative damage. Indeed, a recent study conducted by researchers from London found that 5 servings of fruits and vegetables reduce the risk of stroke by 25 percent. Antioxidants may also enhance immune defense and therefore lower the risk of cancer and infection.

The secret to consuming more antioxidants is simple:
Eat more organic fresh fruits and vegetables.

The simplest and most effective way to expose yourself to more antioxidants is through your diet. By incorporating at least five servings of fruit and vegetables a day into your diet, you may be helping your body reduce its chances of heart disease, neurological diseases, cancer and lowered immunity.

So enjoy eating a variety of these fruits and veggies daily! Moreover, studies show that it is more effective to get antioxidants through diet, as opposed to taking supplements.