Antioxidants
We often hear the buzzword antioxidant bantered about, but what exactly is an antioxidant? And there are lots of claims that antioxidants reduce the harmful effects of free radicals, what are free radicals?
Imagine the human body as one big chemical factory; your body is continually giving birth and killing off cells through the process of living, creating and expending energy. One of the most essential “chemicals” for this process is oxygen. But in the process, this oxygen can cause oxidation within our cells. Oxidation is a process whereby a particle loses one of its electrons and become unstable, and that is a “free radical”, a compromised cell.
Naturally, during the normal process of just being alive, 1%-2% of cells will get damaged in the circular process of regeneration. These free radicals are prime movers in the aging process, starting chain reactions that cause cell death. So internally our body creates free radicals that we see in the form of aging.
However, there are many environmental sources that can also cause free radicals within our body. These include pollution, cigarette smoke, pesticides, chemicals, toxins, and overexposure to UV sunlight. This is why we are always advised to minimise our exposure to these situations. But it is pretty much unavoidable to reduce all exposure to outside toxins in this modern world.
Free radicals cause “oxidative stress”, which is thought to play a role in a variety of diseases including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and eye diseases such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Antioxidants can neutralise free radicals and inhibit their damage.
Antioxidants of plant origin have free radical scavenging properties which may prevent or delay some type of damage. They are our therapeutic defence system against environmental pollution. Antioxidants are everywhere. Anything that stabilises free radicals can be an antioxidant. This includes some vitamins and minerals such as A, C and E, Selenium and Zinc as well as compounds fruit and vegetables particularly.
The absolute best sources of antioxidants are from eating a vegetables and fruits rich diet. There is science to prove that people who eat more vegetables and fruits have lower risks of several diseases, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, and cataracts. This science cannot pinpoint if the antioxidant agents in particular are why they are reduced, but it is evidence enough to encourage us all to eat your fruit and vege.
In the lab, antioxidant rich foods can be measured by their ORAC value (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) and this may give us an idea of which food or supplements have the most benefit. Foods with a high ORAC value include prunes, all the berries (especially blueberries), kidney beans, pecans and russet potatoes.
People who consume a balanced diet of a variety of foods will be getting many antioxidants of different types. So should we supplement antioxidants? There are many different types of antioxidants and we need a mix of them. Some, for instance, are soluble in water and some in fat, meaning they’ll move through different parts of the body and interact with different cells. The science behind antioxidants is still in its infancy and which antioxidants work best for which ailments has not been scientifically determined yet.
We recommend a common sense approach. You should not use antioxidant supplements to replace a healthy diet, but to enhance a healthy diet. And a healthy diet should always be your goal. Below we have put together a guide to help you understand what is contained in our antioxidants. Look through and see what may be deficient in your diet and click through and learn more. The antioxidants that we carry are natural plant sourced and have the properties from the fruits, vegetables and herbs they are derived from (many are from organic sources).
Fruit based Antioxidants:
Goji Berries
Goji Berry Juice
Acai berry Powder
Acai berry Capsules
Grape Seed Capsules
Resveratrol Juice
Resveratrol Capsules
BillberryCapsules
Vitamin & Minerals Antioxidants
Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Zinc
Selenium
Beta Carotene
Bioflavonoids
Algae based Antioxidants
Algotene Microalgae (Dunaliella Salina)
Sun Chlorella
Spirulina
Astaxanthin
Herb and Plant – below we list the antioxidant ingredients in the product (not all the ingredients in product)
Essiac Sheep Sorrel Tea – Slippery Elm
Turmeric
Naturally fermented Co Enzyme Q10
Antioxidant Supplement Combos -Supplements that combined different antioxidants together in a capsule form. Below we list the antioxidant ingredients in the product not all the ingredients - click for more details.
Men's Multi – Betacarotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Bioflavonoids, Vitamin E, Selenium, Zinc, Kelp, Alfalfa, Ginseng and Grape Seed.
Prostate Manager – Saw Palmetto, Pygeum, Nettle, Selenium, Zinc, Lycopene
Superfoods - These are antioxidant foods in powdered form that can mixed into drinks and food easily. Some our favourites:
Percy’s Beta Boost - Beetroot, Carrot, Broccoli sprouts ,Asparagus, Hawthorne berry, Ginger, Blueberry, Blackcurrant, Guava, Rosehips, Raspberry, Sea-buckthorn, Pomegranate, Acai and Bilberry fortified with extra nutrients including essential vitamins and herbal extracts in a base of organic freeze-dried Goji berry.
Antioxidants and the Fruits and Vegetables incorporate into your diet
allium sulphur compounds – leeks, onions and garlic
anthocyanins – eggplant, grapes and berries
beta-carotene – pumpkin, mangoes, apricots, carrots, spinach and parsley
catechins – red wine and tea
copper – seafood, lean meat, milk and nuts
cryptoxanthins – red capsicum, pumpkin and mangoes
flavonoids – tea, green tea, citrus fruits, red wine, onion and apples
indoles – cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower
isoflavonoids – soybeans, tofu, lentils, peas and milk
lignans – sesame seeds, bran, whole grains and vegetables
lutein – green, leafy vegetables like spinach, and corn
lycopene – tomatoes, pink grapefruit and watermelon
manganese – seafood, lean meat, milk and nuts
polyphenols – thyme and oregano
selenium – seafood, offal, lean meat and whole grains
vitamin A – liver, sweet potatoes, carrots, milk, and egg yolks
vitamin C – oranges, blackcurrants, kiwifruit, mangoes, broccoli, spinach, capsicum and strawberries
vitamin E – vegetable oils (such as wheatgerm oil), avocados, nuts, seeds and whole grains
zinc – seafood, lean meat, milk and nuts
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