Krista Clarke, Author, ACPT

Question: What exactly are antioxidants, and why are they so important?

Answer: To give you a clear picture of antioxidants and their importance I will first explain "free radicals" and the process of oxidation.

Free radicals
Everything in the universe is made up of atoms. Yes, that includes you and every cell in your body. Each stable atom that composes our healthy bodily tissue has electrons spinning about its center (nucleus), in opposing pairs to balance their electromagnetic charges. If we compare this to the earth - think about these electrons like the North and South Pole, one balances the other. Undisturbed, these atoms spin along contently and the tissue they make up remains healthy.

However, if an atom gains or loses and electron, (as in many chemical reactions), its electromagnetic charges become unbalanced. At this point it is called a "free radical."
Seeking to restore that balance, the free radical either donates or steals an electron from the nearest stable molecule of tissue. That molecule then becomes a free radical thus setting up a chain reaction of instability.

Any form of breathing, stress, exercise, work, pollution, chemicals and radiation, produce their own free radicals.

Oxidation
Here is an example: When we exercise, we use up to 20 times more oxygen than a person who is sedentary. Conversion of glycogen and fat to produce ATP, (a usable energy source), occurs through oxidation. Free radicals are the by-product of this oxidation, the process by which hydrogen atoms are released from glycogen and fat to combine with oxygen, (delivered to your working cells by the hemoglobin in our blood), to produce water. (H20) Basically, some of the oxygen molecules become unstable. Simply put, the chemical reactions that occur at the cellular level during exercise (oxidation), produce free radicals. This is a natural process of free radical production and accounts for only 5% of the chemical reaction.

Free radicals can permeate cell membranes and disrupt their cellular chemistry so badly that the cells die. We know today that free radical damage is one of the causes of human aging, cardiovascular disease, strokes, diabetes and cancer.

Consider this: Evidently, oxidation affects plants and other matter. The rusting of steel, the browning of an apple, and the degeneration of human tissue are all examples of oxidation. One year after completing the Statue of Liberty, the American Institute of Architects had to report to congress that the copper coating, (the best protection known to science), was being damaged from the uncontrolled oxidation caused by the pollution in New York.

Antioxidants to the rescue
Antioxidants neutralize free radicals by receiving or donating an electron. This process continues until the chemical chain ends up as harmless waste products excreted from the body through our breath, sweat, and/or urine.

While our bodies do produce some antioxidants on their own, it is not enough to protect us against free radical damage in these modern times. Therefore a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is the best way to be proactive. Here is a list of antioxidants: Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Selenium, beta carotene, alpha carotene, lycopene, and several others such as CoQ10. Foods high in antioxidants include (listed in descending order): dark chocolate (70 % cocoa or higher), prunes, raisins, blueberries, kale, strawberries, spinach, raspberries, Brussels sprouts, plums, broccoli florets, beets, oranges, red bell peppers, red grapes, cherries, yellow corn, egg plant, and carrots.

But before you go out and stock your pantry with mega-doses of these vitamins, it is important that you consider the fact that more is not always better. The long-term effect of large doses of these nutrients has not been proven. Other substances and chemicals found in natural sources of antioxidants may also be responsible for the beneficial effects. So for now, the best way to ensure adequate intake of the antioxidant nutrients is the Wellness Weight-Loss Way: Eating five to eight servings of fruits and vegetables per day.