The growing access to the internet and seamless transfer of information fuels the rise of many wellness trends in this digitized era. In most cases, people get sucked into these trends without getting appropriate knowledge on the subject.
However, a single wellness trend that has stood the test of time and science is adding antioxidants to your diet. Living in 2022 and surviving a pandemic, everybody is aware that antioxidants are crucial to the body. Sadly, many misconceptions and false information still exist around the subject.
Therefore, let’s take a deeper look at antioxidants to understand what are antioxidants, why your body needs them, and where you can get them.
What Are Antioxidants?
Antioxidants are molecules that occur naturally occur in your body protect the cells from the damage caused by the free radicals.
Free radicals are tiny atoms of unstable nature, generally found in cigarettes, air pollution, alcohol, fried foods, and other similar sources. Given the sources of free radicals, you’re right when you decide not to have them in your body.
Increased concentration of free radicals in your body can result in increased oxidative stress leaving you with a greater risk of different health conditions.
This can easily hasten the aging process and result in other chronic illnesses such as autoimmune disorders, cancer, inflammatory joint disease, cataract, diabetes, and even cardiovascular diseases.
This is where antioxidants come to your rescue with their capabilities to counter the oxidative stress in your body. You can compare antioxidants to the popular game of Pac-Man as they too finish up all the harmful free radicals from your body.
Why Does Your Body Need Antioxidants?
There is a specific waste substance in your body that goes by the name of free radicals.
These substances are produced by the cells in your body when processing food, especially when you consume processed or refined food items, artificial sweeteners, trans fats, and even certain additives.
Furthermore, environmental air pollution, smoking, exposure to toxic chemicals such as the ones found in pesticides or drugs, and even chemotherapy can result in their production.
Increased concentration of free radicals in your body can result in oxidative stress that works in detriment to your cells and other body functions.
Antioxidants are equipped with properties that help the body get rid of free radicals and regulate oxidative stress. This makes antioxidant foods very important for your body as it gives you the ammunition to put up resistance against the invasion by free radicals in your body.
Where Can You Get Antioxidants From?
Many people assume that there is only a single type of antioxidant needed by their body. However, that is not the case as there are different types of antioxidants that serve different functions in your body.
This is the reason doctors and experts always recommend maintaining a diet that offers great variety. However, the best natural source of antioxidants is plant-based food items, especially vegetables and fruits that feature a bright coloration.
Therefore, try adding some eggs, dairy products, seeds, liver, nuts, mushrooms, and even corn if you are interested in obtaining antioxidants through natural means. Nonetheless, here are a couple more tips that can help you boost antioxidants intake.
- Have a cup of matcha or green tea every day
- Include more vegetables and fruits in your diet. You can even try having fruit after every meal.
- Opt for healthier snacks such as seeds and nuts. There are many alternatives for you to choose from, including sunflower seeds, Brazil nuts, dried fruits, and more. However, make sure that none of these nuts or seeds comes with added sugar or salt for better effectiveness.
- Spice up the flavor of your meal by adding different spices such as cumin, clove, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, and even oregano, along with other antioxidants contents.
Should You Consider Antioxidant Supplements?
Antioxidant supplements are available in different flavors and with different levels of effectiveness.
Most health regulators will warn you about the high doses of antioxidants supplements as they can be detrimental to your body.
Therefore, the best thing to do is consult your dietician or physician and determine the appropriate quantity or dosage suited for you.
Antioxidant supplements are also consumed by many people with health conditions such as age-related muscle degeneration.
Therefore consult your health provider before you start consuming antioxidant supplements.
In Conclusion
As you can see, there are many things one ought to know about antioxidants as these molecules can have many health benefits.
In addition, getting antioxidants is not very challenging as you can simply increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables to provide your body with the required antioxidants.
Lastly, make sure to keep yourself away from smoking, alcohol, unhealthy processed food, and environmental air pollution as much as possible. This you can even leverage the potential of antioxidants to enhance your skin and the functionalities of other body organs.
