What are antioxidants?
An antioxidant is any substance that prevents oxidation.
Free radicals and antioxidants
An antioxidant is able to neutralize harmful free radicals, which by their unpaired electron strongly inclined molecules from the environment to oxidize. Most antioxidants do this by reacting with free radicals, making them harmless be. Antioxidants are added to foodstuffs, cosmetics, plastics and various other products to oxidation by oxygen in the air counter. This reduces the shelf life extended.
Nutrition
Oxidation in food can affect the quality of the food. Why antioxidants are often added to foods. When foods are added antioxidants on the labeling of foods marked with an E-number, as defined by the European Union. In addition, antioxidants may occur naturally in foods.
Examples of antioxidants in the diet are vitamin C, vitamin E, citric acid, and resveratrol. In addition, certain minerals such as selenium, chromium and zinc important because they are part of enzymes that act as an antioxidant. Also, uric acid in the body acts as an antioxidant.
Antioxidant supplements
Antioxidants are important nutrients for a healthy metabolism of the body and are found in all cells. In a diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, the use of antioxidants as a dietary supplement also completely unnecessary. Antioxidants are to be found in vegetables, fruits and nuts.
Nevertheless, there are also food supplements with antioxidants. The harmful effects of free radicals in the body is caused by these reactions can engage with, for example, the DNA, which can lead to the disruption of the cell division and, possibly, to cancer, or damage to various intracellular proteins. In clinical practice, a positive effect of supplementation with antioxidants never been demonstrated. Cedars-Sinai Institute in California found that high concentrations of antioxidants can cause genetic abnormalities in a cell culture of stem cells, which grow cancerous tissue. Whether or not this also has relevance for the development of cancer in humans is unclear. The results of research carried out in vitro are not necessarily valid for the situation in vivo.
Cosmetics
To cosmetics with oil, grease and fatty substances such as creams and cosmetics with many fragrances such as perfume are usually antioxidants added. In creams and other oily cosmetics, this is often vitamin E, in perfumes usually BHT and BHA.