Do you know what they are and why do they recommend them so much? Here we tell you
There is a nutritional trend that began several years ago and is based on the increased consumption of antioxidants. Since then we heard antioxidants here and there, we began to eat more blueberries, apples, cherries and everything we hear that contains many of these substances, because they can do us good, but we do not really know what they are or what they do.
But that's not going to be any problem because we're going to explain it as clearly as possible.
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What are they
Antioxidants are chemicals that can prevent or slow down cell damage . An antioxidant is not a substance, it is rather a cellular behavior. Any compound that can donate electrons and counteract the damage of free radicals has antioxidant properties.
The natives find them mainly in fruits and vegetables, marine plants and some fish and seafood that eat marine plants. There are thousands of compounds with these characteristics, but the most common are vitamin A, C, E, beta-carotene and lycopene. Antioxidants can also be produced artificially and consumed as supplements.
What are free radicals and why do they harm us?
Exposure to oxygen, or oxidation, can "break" the atoms, so they are left with unpaired electrons. This makes them a loose chemical hazard. These bad guys, called free radicals, are always looking for loose electrons to stabilize their atoms. Free radicals cling to the electrons of other cells, causing a chain reaction of more free radicals. Stealing nearby electrons means that the joint cell loses some electrons and becomes a free radical. Something very tired.
It is not a good idea to damage the structure of a cell, especially if cells containing DNA are damaged in this oxidative stress. This process is related to serious diseases such as cancer, heart problems, diabetes, arthritis, fibromyalgia, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, autoimmune diseases, cognitive decline, and eye problems such as macular degeneration.
What antioxidants do
They are found in the first line of defense that the body uses to keep free radicals from doing too much damage. That is, they prevent damage to the cells, since they can donate electrons so that they do not steal them from the cells around them. Likewise, antioxidants can help repair the cell damage caused by these bad guys.
The bad news
There is little scientific evidence that antioxidants will protect us from heart problems or cancer. For example, some studies suggest that consuming additional beta carotene may increase the risk of lung cancer in smokers. And some tests in cancer patients who take antioxidant supplements during their treatments had worse results. In a randomized trial, women who consumed antioxidants in supplements had higher rates of skin cancer than those who did not.
Some investigations have concluded that they only have a placebo effect. It has also been proven that not all free radicals are bad for health. The body needs a certain amount of these to get rid of cancer cells and bacteria, among other things. Taking too many antioxidants can prevent these beneficial free radicals, causing diseases anyway.
Although we do not know exactly how the antioxidants that come from nature affect diseases, a diet with lots of fruits rich in antioxidants, vegetables and grains will always be beneficial.