Antioxidants are well known, and we keep hearing that we need antioxidants in the body but what are they? And why do we need them? Antioxidants are simple, they are molecule found in the body to fight free radicals. Free radicals can quickly cause harm in the body as a high number of free radicals leads to oxidative stress and can result in cell death. Prolonged oxidative stress leads to increased risk of negative health such as certain cancers and other diseases. The body needs antioxidants to reduce the impact of the oxidative stress.
Factors contributing to oxidative stress:
- Cigarette smoke
- Alcohol intake
- Air pollution and toxins
- Radiation and increased exposure to UV light
- Antioxidant deficiency
- Infections such as bacterial, fungal and viral
- Extremities of oxygen levels in the body, either too much or too little
It is important to create a balance between the levels free radicals and antioxidants to remain equal. Even though free radicals sound harmful, they are also essential in keeping good health as they are used to fight infections.
Foods high in Antioxidants
The diet is the most important source of antioxidants and those foods with high levels are known as superfoods. Foods that are rich with colours are especially high in antioxidants. It is easy to add little gems to increase your antioxidant intake such as adding a fruit or vegetable with your meal or snacks. Drinking a cup of green tea is also deemed useful.
Here are some foods you can add to your daily diet
- Berries such as blueberries and goji berries
- Coffee
- Dark chocolate
- Meat and fish
- Fruit and vegetables
- Kale
- Nuts and seeds
- Spices including turmeric, cumin, oregano, and cinnamon
The major antioxidant vitamins are Vitamin C and Vitamin E which can be found in fruits and vegetables, especially foods with hues of purple, blue, red and orange.
Vitamin C: berries, broccoli, grapefruit, tomatoes, sweet potato
Vitamin E: avocado, mustard, boiled spinach, sunflower seeds
Antioxidants in supplements
It is important to get the right levels of antioxidants to keep your body cells healthy and to combat the occurrence of free radicals. Our range of products contain all the antioxidants you need. Each of our Yes 2 Revive supplements contains the boost your body requires to fight off free radicals.