ANTIOXIDANTS (YOUR BODY’S DEFENSE FORCE)

Antioxidants are vitamins and minerals that help prevent oxygen from reacting with other chemicals in cells, reactions that cause changes in cells that can lead to premature aging and a variety of diseases, including cancer.  Antioxidants include vitamins C and E, provitamin A (beta carotene), selenium, magnesium, copper, zinc and carotenoids (pigments that give fruits and vegetables their deep, rich colors).

Oxidation in fats and proteins injure cell membranes, weaken blood vessels, affect immune cells, modify protective enzymes - among others - and damage many other molecules.  These injuries alter cell function and increase the risk of heart disease, strokes cancer and brain disease.  Oxidation of Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol, causes it to stick more easily to blood vessel walls, facilitating the formation of plaque in arteries.  

The primary cause of oxidative damage in cells is the body’s production of free radicals.  Free radicals are molecules with unpaired electrons that are produced in normal metabolism when oxygen is used to burn food for energy, such as during periods of exertion or when the body is fighting off illness.  The unpaired electron makes a free radical unstable and highly reactive, trying to capture an electron that will stabilize it.  By capturing electrons from molecules nearby, the free radical converts other molecules to free radicals, thereby initiating a destructive chain reaction. Free radical injury increases the risk of wrinkles, cataracts, blindness and arthritis.

 Antioxidants impede the oxidative cell damage that leads to aging and disease.  For example, they donate electrons to free radicals to convert them into harmless molecules.  In addition, antioxidants:

·   Slow down the aging process

·   Maintain healthy blood vessels, which optimize blood flow to the heart and brain

·   Defend against cancer-causing DNA damage

·   Lower cholesterol levels 

·   Help lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and dementia, including Alzheimer's disease 

Some antioxidants are made in our cells, but many essential antioxidants, including vitamins C, E and selenium, must be obtained from our diet.  Fruits, vegetables and grains are rich sources of antioxidant vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals (botanicals).  

A recent University of Florida study has specifically linked açaí, rich in anti-oxidant polyphenolics, to the slowing of the spread of leukemia cancer cells.

 *Sources:  National Cancer Institute, American Heart Association