Antioxidants continuously garner attention for their significant health importance, and for good reason. They are critical for slowing the aging process and supporting healthy skin, eyes, heart, brain, cells, and overall wellness. But what are these enigmatic substances and how do they benefit our health?
Free Radicals
Free radicals are unstable molecules that are waste products produced by our cells as the body processes food into energy and reacts to the environment. We are constantly bombarded with these cell-damaging molecules due to pollution, smoking, UV rays, chemicals in our food and beauty products, and more.
Oxidative Stress
Oxidative stress happens when the number of free radicals in our body exceeds the number of antioxidants, and it occurs when oxidation damages our cells, proteins, and our DNA. Some of the symptoms associated with oxidative stress may include decreases in our energy levels, memory recall, cognition, skin and hair quality, and negative effects on the healthy function of our muscles, eyes, and immune systems. If left unchecked, oxidative stress can elevate the risk of many health risks often associated with age.
Antioxidants
Fortunately, our bodies have their own defenses to keep free radicals in check. Antioxidants, sometimes called “free radical scavengers,” are compounds that can prevent or slow cell damage caused by these marauding molecules.
Our body produces powerful antioxidants like glutathione, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and coenzymeQ10. They also come in the form of vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A, E, C, beta-carotene, selenium, and manganese. Antioxidants may be found as the phytonutrients in our food — especially plant-based, whole foods. Some examples of the thousands of antioxidants in fruits, vegetables, herbs, and other food sources are flavonoids, phenols, flavones, catechins, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and astaxanthin.
Each type of antioxidant serves a different function and is not necessarily interchangeable with another. This is why it is important to have a varied diet and consider supplementation of different types. Some highly researched and powerfully effective botanical supplements are SuperPure® Astaxanthin, SuperPure® Resveratrol, SuperPure® Grape Seed, and SuperPure® Olive.
We can also take compounds that help increase our bodies own production of antioxidants. For example, silymarin from milk thistle and curcumin from turmeric can increase the production of glutathione, our body’s master antioxidant. Cell Protector™ is an advanced blend of 20 organic cruciferous sprouts, herbal extracts, green superfoods, and juice extracts packed with Nature’s most powerful antioxidants and compounds that support healthy glutathione regeneration.
You can even drink your antioxidants. Green tea ranks as one of the highest on the list of plant-based sources. Organic Matcha Power® green tea has more than ten times the antioxidants compared to traditional teas and other top superfoods. So, no matter if you eat, drink, or swallow them in capsules, a consistent intake of antioxidants will help keep you looking and feeling your best for many years to come.
