Antioxidants are a kind of compounds you hear about on a regular basis, however their features, advantages, and sources aren’t at all times clear. This text is for everybody who’s ever questioned “what are antioxidants, and am I getting sufficient of them?”

Let’s separate myths from information and have a look at which nutritional vitamins have antioxidant properties, which meals are excessive in antioxidants, and what the advantages are of antioxidants in your weight loss program.

What Are Antioxidants?

Antioxidants and antioxidant-like compounds are substances present in meals like fruit and veggies which will forestall or delay sure sorts of cell injury. “They’re the physique’s manner of preventing toxins and irritation,” says Caitlin Self, MS, CNS, LDN, of Frugal Vitamin.

“Antioxidants could be consumed in sure identified nutritional vitamins, like nutritional vitamins A, C and E,” explains Liz Wyosnick, MS, RDN, proprietor of the Seattle-based follow Equilibriyum. There are additionally phytochemicals (chemical substances derived from vegetation) which have antioxidant-like properties, equivalent to selenium and zinc, and a few carotenoids, flavonoids, and phenols.

Most meals boast a distinctive mix and quantity of antioxidants and antioxidant-like compounds — from apples to walnuts and goji berries to spinach — however don’t fear about particular ranges or mixtures, says Self: “Eat the rainbow to get a variety of antioxidants.”

How Do Antioxidants Work?

Antioxidants and antioxidant-like compounds may help forestall or counteract the oxidative stress that outcomes from publicity to extremely reactive atoms referred to as free radicals. Wyosnick likens this stress to a gradual rusting within the physique.

Free radicals can kind as a product of regular metabolic processes within the physique, together with these related to train and the conversion of meals to power. They will additionally end result from environmental components like X-rays, smoking, and air pollution, explains Wyosnick.

By altering the chemical buildings of cells, free radicals have the potential to wreck them and their elements, together with cell proteins and DNA. Antioxidants function a balancing agent in an in any other case poisonous surroundings.

Ought to You Take Antioxidant Dietary supplements?

Dietary supplements can function a useful backup should you’re not getting sufficient antioxidants in your weight loss program. In fact, which will even be a sign that you could make some modifications to your grocery checklist. That’s why Wyosnick recommends attempting to get your antioxidants primarily from complete meals.

“Spinach is a superb supply of antioxidants as a result of it’s spinach, not as a result of it comprises carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin,” she explains. “Taking lutein by itself might not provide the identical advantages as a easy spinach salad… The meals at all times has the right mixture of compounds for assimilation and utilization by the physique.”

As for a way to decide on that meals, Wyosnick has some recommendation: “I encourage my shoppers to permit the season and their style preferences to information them when selecting meals sources of antioxidants, and to purpose for numerous colours of those meals, as usually as attainable.”

When that’s not attainable, Shakeology comprises antioxidant nutritional vitamins A, C, and E and superfoods like camu-camu and pomegranate, which have antioxidant properties, all in a kind issue that’s handy and versatile.

Antioxidant Advantages

Since oxidation is going on on a regular basis within the physique, antioxidants have their work reduce out for them — and that’s additionally why antioxidants have broad advantages. However whereas antioxidants are present in meals like fruit and veggies which can be identified to assist promote regular perform and decrease well being dangers, it stays unclear whether or not it’s the antioxidants in these meals that present the advantages or one thing else.

Right here’s a have a look at identified advantages linked particularly to antioxidants.

1. Scale back free radicals

“Primarily, we now have free radicals in our our bodies from completely different exposures and stressors,” Self says. “They’re like a bunch of bulls in a china store — they run round wreaking havoc and inflicting injury within the physique. Antioxidants swoop in and neutralize them to allow them to’t injury our cells.”

2. Stimulate regular cell development

Cell loss of life, or apoptosis, is part of a cell’s life cycle, however free radicals could cause extra cells to die off quicker within the physique. Antioxidants and antioxidant-like compounds not solely assist suppress cell loss of life, but additionally stimulate regular cell development in wholesome people.

3. Shield cells from untimely getting old

As we age, our cells regenerate extra slowly, however sure sorts of antioxidant-like compounds (equivalent to polyphenols) may help offset or delay aging-related modifications to cells.

4. Help immune perform

The immune system is “significantly delicate to oxidative stress,” based on researchers. Antioxidants like nutritional vitamins A, C, and E, and beta-carotene, together with antioxidant-like compounds equivalent to selenium, copper, iron, and zinc, may help preserve the immune system robust.