Antioxidants: properties and health benefits
Our country is an important world exporter of foods that stand out for their antioxidant richness. We are exporters of various berries such as blueberries, raspberries, strawberries; of fruits such as cherries, nuts, plums and apples; and you could say that we also export them when we do it in the form of our wines.
Antioxidant: a simple concept. An antioxidant (AOX) is any molecule capable of retarding or preventing the oxidation of another molecule. If we see what happens in our body, we know that under physiological or normal conditions, while we breathe, that is to say, at all times, our organism generates a type of very reactive compounds that we call "free radicals" (RL). These species have the ability to "oxidize" a large part of the molecules that make up our tissues.
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Science tells us that throughout our lives, we continuously face the oxidative action of the RL that our own organism generates. In this way, we could say that "aging" corresponds to the manifestation of the continuous oxidation suffered by each of our cells, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids by the action of free radicals. Antioxidants are those compounds that in our body are opposed to this oxidant action
Higher intake of antioxidant-rich foods decreases disease risk.
The formation of free radicals in the body is an absolutely physiological process. However, when its production is increased, or simply exceeds the antioxidant capacity of our body to counteract the action of free radicals, our tissues begin to experience an accelerated biological oxidation. The latter is a common denominator, often the main cause, of chronic noncommunicable diseases, of the cardiovascular type (such as atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction), tumor (various forms of cancer) and neurodegenerative diseases (such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's).
At present, we have vast scientific evidence about the benefits of a higher intake of certain foods rich in antioxidants for the preservation of health. The higher the intake of such foods (see below), the lower the relative risk of development and / or death from these diseases.
Fruits, vegetables and drinks rich in antioxidant compounds.
Fortunately, nature provides us with a wide variety of foods rich in antioxidant compounds, highlighting certain fruits and vegetables. Among the fruits that concentrate most antioxidants are berries, particularly blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and raspberries. So are cherries, plums, apples, and as recently established in research conducted by the INTA's Antioxidant Laboratory, fruits such as cherimoya and, in particular, some native berries are also rich in antioxidants. Nuts, pistachios and almonds are added to the list.
On the other hand, we are increasingly recognizing the value that certain vegetables have as a food source of antioxidants. For example, spinach, artichokes, broccoli, beets, onions and peppers, among others.
It is important to highlight the consumption of fruits and vegetables as a way to ingest antioxidants, since in addition to providing these compounds, many fruits and vegetables offer a variety of nutrients (carbohydrates, lipids and proteins), vitamins, fibers, micro and macro minerals , and a good number of other phytochemicals that, like antioxidants, are also potentially beneficial for health.
It is worth noting that recently, the Antioxidant Analysis Laboratory of INTA was awarded, through the Corfo-Innova program (proy-12BPC2-13378), resources that will allow characterizing, for the first time in a systematic way, the antioxidant richness that can be assumed by the main vegetables (both fresh and processed) produced in our country. This project will have its first results towards the end of 2013.
In the case of beverages that suppose a good source of antioxidants, green tea stands out in addition to some of the juices that contain them, in certain herbal infusions, in coffee, and of course, in red wine. It should be noted, however, that unlike tea, coffee or wine, fruits and vegetables do not imply an obligatory consumption of caffeine or alcohol.
Adequate consumption of antioxidants.
It is important to have clarity regarding the amount of antioxidants that should be consumed. Clearly, the ideal is to consume them under the natural form, that is, in the foods that contain them; alternatively, they can also be consumed in the form of fresh juices (fruits), or, as the case may be, as soups in the case of vegetables.
Regarding the optimum amount of them, except antioxidant vitamins (C and E), it is not possible to define a "recommended daily dose of polyphenols in general", perhaps, since we are talking not about a particular compound but dozens and in certain cases, hundreds of polyphenols with antioxidant properties in food. Exceptions for the above are the recent approvals by the EFSA (European Food Safety Agency) for the use of healthy messages in association with the consumption of polyphenols (mainly hydroxytyrosol) present and consumed in the form of olive oil (approved in October-2011), and for those polyphenols present and consumed in the form of cocoa and / or bitter chocolates rich in cocoa, that is, with a high content of flavanols polyphenols, mainly epicatechin (approved in July-2012) . However, for the rest of the foods, the scientific evidence tells us that the ideal is to consume (the polyphenols present in) 400 grams of various fruits and vegetables a day. The latter is reflected in the message of the Corporation 5 a day, which on the basis of scientific evidence promotes the consumption of "5 servings of Fruits and Vegetables a day".
Therefore, the recommendation is to eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible, ideally exceed 5 servings a day (in some Nordic countries it is recommended at least 8 servings a day), ensuring in addition to the quantity, a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, which is generally reflected by the diversity of colors that we choose to consume (for example, berries of different colors).
Main types of antioxidants present in food.
From a chemical-structural point of view, we can point out that the types of antioxidants that are most abundant in food are: the antioxidant vitamins that comprise ascorbic acid or vitamin C (soluble in water from food) and alpha tocopherol or vitamin E (soluble in the lipids of food); Carotenes, which include beta and alpha carotene, lycopene, astaxanthin and lutein, and polyphenols. Clearly these last ones are the type of antioxidants that more abound in the foods.
When we speak of polyphenols we refer essentially to flavonoids (a subtype of polyphenols), having as examples, quercetin, catechin, epicatechin, epicatequin gallate, epigallocatechingalate, among others. It is noted that several hundred different polyphenols are included in our diet. Recently, INTA, through its Antioxidant Analysis Laboratory, made available on the web, the first AOX Wealth Database, specifically of polyphenols content of all fruits produced in our country ( www.portalantioxidantes.com ) . Such research work has placed our country in third place in the world after the United States and the European Union in creating this type of database. It is available in an open and free way and was made possible thanks to a contribution from Corfo-Innova. Those who want to access the scientific article that describes the corresponding work, and which was recently published .
Certification of Antioxidants.
In the trade you can find products that claim to be rich in antioxidants. But, is it enough for the producer to say so, or should such products have some support or certification? Clearly it is not enough for the company to indicate that its product contains antioxidant so that the consumer can believe in it. Certainly, there must be a good intention on the part of those who want to sell their product, but the sole intention is not equivalent to having a certificate of analysis that guarantees the high antioxidant richness of said product. Since the word antioxidant in the label of a product is a word that sells, it is necessary that the quality of a product's richness is duly supported by polyphenol analysis and, as much as possible, of the ORAC activity (a universal indicator of antioxidant richness) that said product presents. Such analysis must be issued by an entity independent of the company and duly authorized to provide said service.
At present, INTA is the only center that has achieved accreditation (ISO 17025) necessary to perform antioxidant analysis in food in Chile. Ideally, the products should have not only a documentation that endorses the amount of antioxidant that appears on the label, but also, ideally, a certification seal that shows that the product contains what is being reported. Fortunately, in Chile there is a growing number of companies that understand the need to support their products (and their promotion), through an AOX analytical endorsement, and in the case of certification, it should be noted that some large companies are already marketing its products (as a well-known brand of powdered juice that incorporates AOX green tea in its composition-Livean-AOX®) and another that sells chocolates with a high cocoa content rich in polyphenols, which also certifies each batch of its production with a seal of AOX-Costa-Cacao-62-72% ® wealth certification).
In this regard, INTA, as an independent and duly accredited entity, by offering the various agrifood companies its analysis and certification services of AOX in its products, is not only protecting the interests of consumers, in that what consume effectively contains what is being said, but also, indirectly supporting the consumption of foods that implicitly recognizes as healthy. More and more companies are joining a serious job in terms of supporting with the analytical endorsement the antioxidant richness of their products.
Chile: important world exporter.
Our country is an important world exporter of foods that stand out for their antioxidant richness. For example, we are exporters "top worldwide" of various berries (such as blueberries, raspberries, strawberries); of fruits such as cherries, nuts, plums and apples, which stand out for their antioxidant characteristics. You could say that we also export antioxidants when we do it in the form of our wines.
However, the future looks even more promising, since Chile also has the aforementioned fruit species, certain native berries that stand out worldwide for their high antioxidant content. It's about the maqui, the calafate and the murtilla. These fruits, far exceed (100-200%) for its antioxidant (polyphenolic) richness to berries such as blueberries that currently still dominate the market for its recognized high antioxidant composition.
Those who want to access more information about it, can do so through:
Therefore, the possibilities presented to agro-food entrepreneurs to boost the consumption of native berries and to develop from these innovative products is enormous. INTA, through its Antioxidants laboratory, is available to support the development of such initiatives.
Some advice on Antioxidants
Is it advisable to consume antioxidants in the form of pills?
The most recommended way to incorporate antioxidant into the body is through the intake of the foods that contain them most. This form is not only the most effective, but also, the safest. It is that by ingesting antioxidants in the form of food, not only ensure their best use (maximum intestinal absorption), but also, we co-ingest a variety of nutrients and other phytochemicals that add their action to the benefits induced by antioxidants. While there are many pharmaceutical preparations on the market and others that are marketed in the form of nutraceuticals or food supplements, there is no doubt that, as long as possible, antioxidants should be ingested in the form of the foods that contain them.
It has been seen that sustained consumption of high doses of antioxidant vitamins in the form of tablets is not only ineffective in reducing the relative risk of developing chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), but it is not recommended as it can be counterproductive. There are clear risks associated with the sustained consumption of high doses (several times the recommended daily doses) of vitamin E and / or beta-carotene (proVitA) in humans.
Is there a difference in the consumption of cooked and raw fruit? What is better?
In general, antioxidants undergo oxidation when subjected to high temperatures. Although the effect of cooking on the antioxidants present in a food will depend on the very nature of the food, it will always be preferable to consume the food in its natural, uncooked state. Of course, this latter consideration has practical value as long as the food's digestibility and subsequent digestibility allow it. For example, in the case of vegetables, it would not be very desirable or appetizing to eat an artichoke, broccoli or asparagus in its totally raw state. However, it is possible to eat an onion, a garlic, or peppers in their uncooked state.
Do fruits lose their antioxidant properties when they are peeled?
Today we know that this is the case of many of the fruits that Chileans consume, such as apples, pears, peaches, plums. By not eating the skin we can lose around 30-50% of the antioxidant richness of the whole fruit. In addition, by removing the husk we are giving up the soluble and insoluble fiber and other phytochemicals that usually provide the fruits. Therefore, the recommendation is that, after properly washing the fruit, we consume the fruits with their husk; an absolutely normal practice in countries of the northern hemisphere.
Is there a source of non-commercial information specialized in the subject of antioxidants?
For about a year, INTA has publicly arranged a site specialized in Antioxidants-Food and Health: www.portalantioxidantes.com . This site is currently the main web medium around Antioxidants in the Spanish-speaking world.
