What Are Antioxidants And Why Are They So Beneficial?

We’ve all heard about the importance of antioxidants in our diet. We know they’re good for us but do we always know where to find them? Our expert dietitian dishes on what antioxidants are, why they’re helpful, and how you can easily find them at your local grocery store.

Antioxidants are nutrients that help protect our bodies from the many harmful toxins that we are exposed to every day. These harmful toxins are mostly made up of oxidants, hence the name antioxidants.

Oxidants are released when something is burned, whether it be a cigarette, fuel or even the food our bodies burn for energy.

Oxidants are responsible for damaging the cells that your body is built on— this ultimately causes aging and disease. Antioxidants are nutrients in our food that slow and can even prevent the damage caused by oxidants.

The most effective antioxidants come in the form of Vitamins A, C, and E and can be found in all kinds of food at the supermarket.

Vitamin A is found in foods like carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes. Vitamin C is found in foods like citrus fruits, green peppers, broccoli, and tomatoes. Vitamin E is found in foods like nuts, seeds, whole grains, and green leafy vegetables. Anthocyanins are good as well and can be found in berries and red and purple vegetables.

The lesson learned? Do what your mother always said and eat your carrots, broccoli, fruits, and tomatoes. They’ll save you from disease and protect your body against aging. It seems as though mothers really do know best.

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