Friday, August 28, 2009

Sustain the body with Antioxidants

By Dr. Lorna Mistranski

A September issue of the Mayo Clinic Health letter suggest that show that there is very little effectiveness in obtaining antioxidants from dietary supplements. Instead, the study found that the best way to obtain antioxidants is by eating foods that are rich in antioxidants. These antioxidants include:

vitamins E and C

carotene

lycopene

lutein

There many more compounds that play a role in fighting diseases such as cardiovascular problems, cancer, Alzheimer's, and macular degeneration. The benefits of antioxidants come from the fact that they are thought to neutralize free radicals, that are a byproduct of the natural cells metabolism.

Antioxidant production in the human body is extremely inefficient and declines with the progression of age.

People who regularly eat foods rich in antioxidants reap many health benefits according to studies. It is best to receive antioxidants through food rather than dietary supplements because foods contain an unequivocal array of antioxidants.

Supplements are limited because they only offer a few of the many types of antioxidants that are found. This is a problem since Doctors do not know which antioxidants are responsible for the health benefits. Some of the better known antioxidants are:

Berry Group: Acai Berry, raspberries, strawberries, cranberries, blueberries

Bean Family: Tiny red beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, black beans

Fruit Family: Apples, avocados, cherries, pears ( all types)

Vegetables: Artichokes, spinach, red cabbage, red and white potatoes (with peels), sweet potatoes and broccoli

Drinks: green tea, coffee, red wine, acai berry juice

Nuts: Walnuts, pistachios, pecans, hazelnuts and almonds

Herbal family: Ground cloves, cinnamon or ginger, dried oregano leaf and turmeric powder

Grains: Oat products

Dessert: Dark chocolate

Taking too many antioxidants through supplements such as vitamin c can cause more damage than good according to a recent study.

Many foods higher in antioxidants offer many more health benefits, such as being high in fiber, protein and other vitamins and minerals and low in saturated fat and cholesterol.

There is currently no guideline by the government for which antioxidants to consume as well as how many to take as part of their daily diet--this is also the case for vitamins and minerals. A major reason to this is due to a general consensus amongst researchers.

It is encouraged for the time being to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables that have a high concentration of amino acids like cranberries.

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