Do You Know What Free Radicals And Antioxidants Are?
I don't know about you, but whilst I hear the words
, "Free radicals" and "Antioxidants" a lot, rarely does anyone ever explain what they are or why we should be concerned about them.
Do you know why they've suddenly become the buzzwords in the health industry?
No? - Well, apparently, it's all to do with the atoms, which make up our bodies.
Each individual atom needs to have an outer shell of electrons to keep it 'stable', and if, for some reason, some of the electrons aren't there, it's considered 'unstable' and classed as a Free Radical.
Not surprisingly, atoms don't like to be considered 'unstable', you wouldn't either, so what these "free radicals" do is attempt to steal the electrons from the molecules surrounding them.
The problem with that is the molecules from which the electrons are "stolen" then become unstable, so they go off on the rampage to make themselves stable again, and the whole process of electron grabbing is perpetuated.
Apparently a few "free radicals" aren't bad, BUT if you get too many, research indicates a link to numerous diseases and health issues, especially when you have "oxygen free radicals".
These are oxygen atoms, which have lost an electron, because they cause "oxidative stress" in the body.
So, what causes these unstable Free Radicals?
Well, just about anything connected with living really, which makes them a bit of a pain, to put it mildly.
However, there is something you can do about them.
Drum roll please for Antioxidants.
If you're really astute you might just notice a bit of a clue as to what antioxidants are in their name. Yes, you've guessed it, they provide the extra electrons, all the 'unstable' molecules and atoms are seeking to complete their outer electron shells.
Antioxidants prevent or slow down the oxidation process, and I suppose you could think of Free Radicals and Antioxidants as the bad guys and the good guys. Free Radicals cause oxidation, and Antioxidants prevent it.
You get antioxidants from the food you eat and there is a lab test known as ORAC, which measures the antioxidant properties of various foods.
ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, and the test measures the antioxidant activity of the substance. Depending on its strength, the substance is given a number, and the higher the ORAC score, the more beneficial, the food.
The USDA recommend we consume between 3000 and 5000 ORAC units each day, but the reality is, unless we take additional antioxidants, even eating the recommended 5 fruits and vegetables a day, it's unlikely we'll reach that target.
Certainly, fruits and vegetables have the highest ORAC scores, and apparently fruits with bright pigmentation, which are exposed to lots of intense sun and ultra violet light contain the most.
The Acai berry undoubtedly contains one of the highest ORAC scores, and only three quarters of a cup will give you an amazing 5,500 ORAC score, which is 10 times more than grapes, and twice as much as blueberries.
It's a lot of fruit to eat though, and they're not cheap.
That's why some savvy marketers freeze dry the fruits and turn them into stable powders, which have all the health benefits of the original products. You can then make them up as a drink, and get your ORAC units in one serving. That, to me, is a much better and easier option.
So, there you have it. Now you know what free radicals and antioxidants are.
Hope you feel better for knowing.
by: Jean Shaw
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