We always hear these popular words but what do they really mean and why should we care about them?
Free Radicals Definition: As the body uses oxygen, these by-products cause oxidative damage to the cells of the body. Free radicals come from smoking, pollution, poisons, fried foods, and as a by-product of normal metabolism. Free radical damage is associated with an increased risk of many chronic diseases.
So WHO is affected by free radicals? EVERYONE, unless you were that kid that lived in a bubble...however there was probably some toxic chemical in the plastic so I take that back. ;) My point is, no matter how hard we try we are exposed to Free Radicals everywhere we go even in our homes. If it didn't come from the Earth or a Mother, it probably has a Free Radical some where inside it.
HOW do free radicals harm us? As mentioned in the definition they cause oxidative damage to our body's cells. Our bodies are innately smart; however, when faced with these foreign substances they don't know what to do with them. Unfortunately more often than not our bodies hold onto them instead of flushing them out of our systems. These can cause premature aging of cells through out your entire body, including your skin. Yep, that's right... wrinkles can also be partially caused by free radicals.
This sounds like horrible news... but there is hope :) That other popular word we have been hearing about... ANTIOXIDANTS. These are your Free Radical fighters.
Antioxidants Definition: May protect the cells in your body from oxidative damage. As the body uses oxygen, there are by-products known as "free radicals" that can cause damage to cells. Antioxidants are known to repair these free radicals and are associated with a decreased risk of many chronic diseases. Some examples of antioxidants include beta-carotene, vitamins A, C, and E, lutein, lycopene and quercetin.
Well where can we find the Antioxidants? Many would immediately go for a dietary supplement; however, I highly recommend going a more natural route. When looking to give nutrients to your body you want to look for the most pure source as possible.
Many juices and tomato sauces advertise that they have antioxidants but they often also include refined sugars, high fructose corn syrup, and other UN-natural ingredients that are often considered free radicals. You want to stay away from those. Keep in mind not all "Healthy" foods are created equal in the amount and quality of antioxidants.
Remember when eating these foods to try and keep them as raw as you can in order to preserve the quality and quantity of the Nutrients
Free Radicals Definition: As the body uses oxygen, these by-products cause oxidative damage to the cells of the body. Free radicals come from smoking, pollution, poisons, fried foods, and as a by-product of normal metabolism. Free radical damage is associated with an increased risk of many chronic diseases.
So WHO is affected by free radicals? EVERYONE, unless you were that kid that lived in a bubble...however there was probably some toxic chemical in the plastic so I take that back. ;) My point is, no matter how hard we try we are exposed to Free Radicals everywhere we go even in our homes. If it didn't come from the Earth or a Mother, it probably has a Free Radical some where inside it.
HOW do free radicals harm us? As mentioned in the definition they cause oxidative damage to our body's cells. Our bodies are innately smart; however, when faced with these foreign substances they don't know what to do with them. Unfortunately more often than not our bodies hold onto them instead of flushing them out of our systems. These can cause premature aging of cells through out your entire body, including your skin. Yep, that's right... wrinkles can also be partially caused by free radicals.
This sounds like horrible news... but there is hope :) That other popular word we have been hearing about... ANTIOXIDANTS. These are your Free Radical fighters.
Antioxidants Definition: May protect the cells in your body from oxidative damage. As the body uses oxygen, there are by-products known as "free radicals" that can cause damage to cells. Antioxidants are known to repair these free radicals and are associated with a decreased risk of many chronic diseases. Some examples of antioxidants include beta-carotene, vitamins A, C, and E, lutein, lycopene and quercetin.
Well where can we find the Antioxidants? Many would immediately go for a dietary supplement; however, I highly recommend going a more natural route. When looking to give nutrients to your body you want to look for the most pure source as possible.
Many juices and tomato sauces advertise that they have antioxidants but they often also include refined sugars, high fructose corn syrup, and other UN-natural ingredients that are often considered free radicals. You want to stay away from those. Keep in mind not all "Healthy" foods are created equal in the amount and quality of antioxidants.
Remember when eating these foods to try and keep them as raw as you can in order to preserve the quality and quantity of the Nutrients
Foods high in Antioxidants:
The USDA recommends its top 20 foods high in antioxidants:
Food/ Serv. Size/antiox.capacity per serv.
Red Beans (dried)/ Half cup/ 13727
Wild blueberry/ 1 cup/ 13427
Red kidney beans(dried)/ Half cup/ 13259
Pinto beans/ Half cup/ 11864
Blueberry / 1 cup/ 9019
Cranberry(whole)/ 1 cup/ 8983
Artichoke (cooked)/ 1 cup (hearts)/ 7904
Blackberry/ 1 cup/ 7701
Prune/ Half cup/ 7291
Raspberry/ 1 cup/ 6058
Strawberry/ 1 cup/ 5938
Red Delicious apple/ One/ 5900
Granny Smith apple/ One/ 5381
Pecan/ 1 ounce/ 5095
Sweet cherry/ 1 cup/ 4873
Black plum/ One/ 4844
Russet potato (cooked)/ One/ 4649
Black beans (dried)/ Half cup/ 4181
Plum/ One/ 4118
Gala apple/ One/ 3903
The scale called ORAC, which stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, was developed by Scientists at the USDA as a rating scale that measures the antioxidant content of variety of natural plant foods.
Fruit or Veggie/Value ORAC units per 100 grams
Prunes/ 5570
Raisins/ 2830
Blueberries/ 2400
Blackberries/ 2036
Strawberries/ 1540
Raspberries/ 1220
Plums/ 949
Oranges/ 750
Red grapes/ 739
Cherries/ 670
Kiwi fruit/ 602
Grapefruit/ 483
Kale/ 1770
Spinach/ 1260
Brussels sprouts/980
Alfalfa sprouts/ 930
Broccoli flowers/ 890
Beets/ 840
Red bell pepper/ 710
Onion/ 450
Corn/ 400
Eggplant/ 390
It is suggested that you consume
at least 3,000 ORAC units a day.
The USDA recommends its top 20 foods high in antioxidants:
Food/ Serv. Size/antiox.capacity per serv.
Red Beans (dried)/ Half cup/ 13727
Wild blueberry/ 1 cup/ 13427
Red kidney beans(dried)/ Half cup/ 13259
Pinto beans/ Half cup/ 11864
Blueberry / 1 cup/ 9019
Cranberry(whole)/ 1 cup/ 8983
Artichoke (cooked)/ 1 cup (hearts)/ 7904
Blackberry/ 1 cup/ 7701
Prune/ Half cup/ 7291
Raspberry/ 1 cup/ 6058
Strawberry/ 1 cup/ 5938
Red Delicious apple/ One/ 5900
Granny Smith apple/ One/ 5381
Pecan/ 1 ounce/ 5095
Sweet cherry/ 1 cup/ 4873
Black plum/ One/ 4844
Russet potato (cooked)/ One/ 4649
Black beans (dried)/ Half cup/ 4181
Plum/ One/ 4118
Gala apple/ One/ 3903
The scale called ORAC, which stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, was developed by Scientists at the USDA as a rating scale that measures the antioxidant content of variety of natural plant foods.
Fruit or Veggie/Value ORAC units per 100 grams
Prunes/ 5570
Raisins/ 2830
Blueberries/ 2400
Blackberries/ 2036
Strawberries/ 1540
Raspberries/ 1220
Plums/ 949
Oranges/ 750
Red grapes/ 739
Cherries/ 670
Kiwi fruit/ 602
Grapefruit/ 483
Kale/ 1770
Spinach/ 1260
Brussels sprouts/980
Alfalfa sprouts/ 930
Broccoli flowers/ 890
Beets/ 840
Red bell pepper/ 710
Onion/ 450
Corn/ 400
Eggplant/ 390
It is suggested that you consume
at least 3,000 ORAC units a day.
GREAT news for you CHOCOLATE LOVERS...
Scientists as reported at the 238th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Aug 2009 have found that chocolate contains measurable amounts of healthful antioxidant substances called polyphenols (An antioxidant)
Choose a Quality chocolate without fillers, waxes, and refined sugar and you can make your next chocolate consumption a guilt-free one. For information on "Healthy Chocolate" email me at authenticeutopia@live.com
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