What Are Antioxidants And Why Are They Important? ~ Health

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Wednesday, February 13, 2013

What Are Antioxidants And Why Are They Important?





















A number of physicians are advocating veggies and fruits to be included in a daily diet. There are plenty of great reasons to the advice, but one of the reasons is definitely the antioxidants that almost all fruits and veggies offer. What exactly are antioxidants? Why are they extremely important?

Process of oxidation takes place in every single place from piece of banana turning brownish color to rust on a piece of metal. It is a normal process that also happens inside a human body. Our body usually deals with oxidation well, but at times it results in cell damage. The damaged cells are referred to as free radicals. They are molecules with unpaired electron. Since it is unpaired, it will attempt to steal an electron from another molecule. Once this activity becomes excessive, it may trigger various health problems which include cancer, cardiovascular disease and arthritis. Pollution, radiation and cigarette smoke also add up to the growth of free radicals. Antioxidants are compounds that neutralize free radicals.

By giving the missing electron to free radicals, antioxidants protect against cell damage. It is vital to take foods that give antioxidants regularly to remain in good health. Many fruit and veggies are a fantastic supply of antioxidants thanks to vitamins C and E. Vitamins are known to be among the best antioxidants. Fruits and veggies such as strawberry, kiwi, papaya, spinach, bell pepper, and broccoli are a good supply of vitamin C and E. But these vitamins are not the only supply of antioxidants and actually they are certainly not the best source.

An increasing number of dieticians agree Epigallocatechin or often called EGCG may be a more powerful supply of antioxidants compared to vitamins C and E. Many researchers agree that EGCG is 100 times more beneficial than vitamin C and 25 times more efficient than vitamin E in eliminating free radicals. EGCG is a compound found in green tea extract. Several of the known green tea extract health benefits include preventions against bad cholesterol, depression, heart disease, cancer and gaining weight.

There were a large number of clinical tests concerning the effects of green tea on cancer cells. The end results suggest the dosage of 300mg of EGCG on a daily basis to be the best amount. A cup of tea provides roughly 100mg of EGCG. A lot more research studies are on the way, however as for now 3 cups daily looks like a good amount.

Currently there are quite a few methods to take in green tea. Traditional way is to brew and to drink the tea. This really is good particularly when consumed while eating meals. One other preferred way is to add tea powder to water. Mixing citrus juice with EGCG has been known to maximize the health benefits. A practical way is to have green tea tablets. This is wonderful for folks disliking the taste.

By Tom Nelson



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