Why are Antioxidants Good For Us?

First off, what exactly are antioxidants? “Antioxidants are vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that may protect your cells from the effects of free radicals” (Henderiks).  You made read this statement and wonder what are free radicals and why are they harmful?  “Free radicals are molecules produced when your body breaks down food for energy, or by environmental toxins like cigarette smoke and radiation. Free radicals can damage cells, weaken the immune system and may play a role in heart disease, arthritis, cancer and other diseases” (Henderiks).  Free radicals are actually very dangerous and can be caused by many things.  It is important to do what we can to get rid of them.  Antioxidants are a very good way to do so, along with exercise.

Now that we know what antioxidants are, why are they good for us?  There are many compounds that are rich in antioxidants, such as vitamin E, vitamin C, beta carotene, zinc, selenium, and manganese (Henderiks).  All of these compounds are good for our bodies and help us in different ways.  Although it is good to take supplements of these, if you feel that you are lacking these naturally in your diet, it is more important to eat foods that have these compounds in them naturally.  Many fruits, vegetables, and grains contain these compounds.  “The more color you have on your plate, the more nutrition and potential antioxidant-wielding capacity you have” (Henderiks).

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Studies are now showing that eating high doses of some of these compounds may be toxic to our bodies or counteract with some medications.  We are still unsure of how much antioxidants we should take.  One study shows, “A 1997 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that 60 mg of vitamin E a day strengthened the immune system in a group of healthy patients at least 65 years old, and 200 mg generated a four-to-six fold improvement after four months. However, 800 mg of vitamin E resulted in worse immunity than receiving no vitamin E at all” (Parnes).  This shows that we are just not sure how many antioxidants can actually be beneficial to our health and when we should start taking them to make a difference in our body.  Although many studies have shown that antioxidants may have reverse effects on our bodies, there are still too many studies that show that they help prevent many diseases.  There are many potential impacts of antioxidants on our bodies but, we do not know exactly how different ones work together to prevent free radicals (Parnes).  With this information, it is good to have a balanced diet and not take too many supplements, especially if you do not need them.

Works Cited

Parnes, Robin Brett.  “Antioxidants: What You Need to Know”  26 November 2002.  HowStuffWorks.com. <http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/food-nutrition/facts/antioxidant.htm>  19 September 2014.

Henderiks, Diane. “Antioxidants in a Nutshell.” ABC News. ABCNews.com, 9 June 2012. Web. 19 Sept. 2014. <http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/lifestyle/2012/07/antioxidants-in-a-nutshell/>.
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