What Are Antioxidants, and Why Should I Care?

Fruits and vegetables keep you healthy!

You hear it all the time: such-and-such a food is loaded with wonderful antioxidants, and that's why you should buy it. Well, if you're a smart consumer, you'll want to know a bit more than that before making a purchase. What's an antioxidant? What do antioxidants do? How do I know if I need them? Where do I find them?

Think about a rusty nail. That layer of brown corrosion is called oxidation. It's what happens when oxygen interacts with the metal. The metal is being eaten away, and over time, it will be completely destroyed by the oxidation process.

Oxidation takes place in our bodies, too, and antioxidants are what help reverse the damage done to our cells.

Our bodies don't exactly rust, but they are indeed attacked. Oxygen interacts with our body's cells to produce energy. That process leaves bits and pieces of food molecules called free radicals, and free radicals are what create the oxidation in our bodies. Antioxidants bond with the free radicals and neutralize their damage. So yes, antioxidants are very good and important things.

Luckily for us, antioxidants are easy to get. They are in every piece of fresh fruit and vegetable we eat. The bright colors of produce are where the antioxidants are stored. They're called phytochemicals. They're the various properties of plants that help fight disease and make us healthier. Brightly colored fruits and vegetables are the number one source of antioxidants, so one of the easiest ways to get a wide variety of them is to eat as many colors of vegetables as you can. What a great way to take your medicine!

Many times, the brighter and deeper the color, the stronger the antioxidant properties in foods. That explains why you may read strong antioxidant claims about blueberries, pomegranates and tomatoes: their colors are much more intense than, say, potatoes.

Several of the top antioxidants include:

Beta-carotene: This antioxidant is believed to be helpful in helping prevent heart disease and cancer. Beta-Carotene is found in bright green, orange and yellow produce, including carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, apricots, cantaloupe, mango, papaya, red bell pepper, spinach, kale, turnip greens and broccoli.
Vitamin C: It helps protect and fight against infections, promotes the absorption of iron and helps produce thyroxin (a hormone that regulates metabolism and body temperature). Look for Vitamin C in guava, papaya, red and green peppers, kiwi, orange and grapefruit juice, broccoli, cantaloupe, potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, strawberries, mustard and turnip greens.
Vitamin E: This protects the white blood cells, which helps keep the immune system in top shape. Vitamin E is found mostly in vegetable oils. Look for it in corn oil, olive oil, peanut oil, sesame seed oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, almonds, wheat germ, nuts, seeds, olives and margarines.

There are other antioxidants, as well. Berries, grapes, spinach, sweet potatoes, melon, mangos, papayas, radishes and more are great sources of healthy nutrients.

Published 06/20/08