Which foods are rich in antioxidants?

When we decide to lead a healthier life, antioxidant-rich foods become our magic solution. Sometimes it seems to us that sophisticated foods come from the other side of the planet, but many of them are actually closer than we think, in local grocery stores.

Antioxidants are basic and necessary compounds for keeping our body healthy. They fight against free radicals and prevent cell aging and various diseases.

Instead of searching for exotic superfoods, remember that rich sources of antioxidants are readily available in everyday foods we already know and love.

Read what we have prepared and find out which foods are rich in antioxidants, from fruits and vegetables to spices and nuts.

Antioxidants - meaning

Many metabolic reactions occur in the human body during which free radicals are produced. These are unstable molecules that contain one or more unpaired electrons and are responsible for oxidative stress. To become stable, they try to take an electron from other molecules, which causes cell damage. If not kept under control, this process can lead to various health problems.

In addition to endogenous factors, there are exogenous factors that we call environmental. These are stress, smoking, alcohol and exposure to UV rays that produce free radicals. They cause damage to cellular structures such as plasma and DNA. They are involved in the processes of accelerated cellular aging and lead to various pathologies such as tumors, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases.

The body has its own mechanisms for neutralizing free radicals. The organism begins to defend itself with the help of antioxidants that give free radicals the necessary electron and thus neutralize them.

Antioxidants exist to counteract the action of free radicals and to prevent cellular oxidation. These substances represent valuable allies of our health.

It is very important to help your body in the task of neutralizing them. Food rich in antioxidants will be your most loyal friend in eliminating free radicals.

Antioxidants - what are they?

Antioxidants are guardians of our health. These compounds are necessary for the body. They protect us from the harmful effects of free radicals, thus preventing the occurrence of various diseases, but also from accelerated cellular aging.

Our body is able to synthesize antioxidants. A classic example is glutathione, which is produced naturally by the body and is considered the most effective antioxidant. There are other substances in the body that perform the same function, for example, ubiquinol.

From a chemical point of view, antioxidants are molecules that oxidize extremely easily. That is why free radicals primarily react with them and thus spare other molecules and cellular structures. In this sense, antioxidants act as a trap for free radicals.

We ingest a large part of antioxidants daily through food, especially of plant origin such as fruits and vegetables, but also from the animal world such as fish, milk and dairy products. That is why it is very important to choose what we eat and include foods rich in these useful substances in our diet. This way we will improve our health and keep our body in shape.

There are studies that have proven that plant foods have greater antioxidant power than foods of animal origin.

Essential substances that are considered antioxidants

• Carotenoids (beta-carotene)
• Precursors of vitamins A, C, E
• Some minerals (manganese, molybdenum, zinc, copper, selenium)
• Coenzyme Q10
• Plant pigments (flavonoids and chlorophyll)

All these compounds are introduced into the body through food or supplementation because the body is unable to produce them on its own.

Other molecules that have potential antioxidant activity are already present in the body. They are:

• Estrogen
• Bilirubin
• Transferin
• Ferritin
• Albumin

Antioxidants - division

Antioxidants are divided first according to their origin, and then according to their mode of action in the body.

Division according to origin

1. Endogenous – Antioxidants produced by our body that neutralize free radicals inside the cells.

• Glutathione
• Superoxide dismutase (SOD)
• Catalase

2. Exogenous – Antioxidants that we take in through food or supplementation.

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Beta-carotene
• Selenium
• Flavonoids

According to the mechanism of action

1. Enzymatic - Antioxidants that act as catalysts in the breakdown of free radicals. They reduce their harmful effect.

• Superoxide dismutase (SOD)
• Catalase
• Glutathione peroxidase

2. Non-enzymatic – Antioxidants that react directly with free radicals, neutralizing them.

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Carotenoids (like beta-carotene)
• Polyphenols (such as flavonoids)

According to solubility

1. Lipophilic - Fat-soluble antioxidants. They act in the lipid parts of cells, protecting cell membranes from oxidative stress.

• Vitamin E
• Coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinone/ubiquinol)
• Carotenoids

2. Hydrophilic - Antioxidants soluble in water. They act in watery parts of the body, more precisely, blood plasma and intracellular fluids.

• Vitamin C
• Glutathione
• Polyphenols

According to the power of action

1. Primary – Antioxidants that react directly with free radicals, stopping the oxidation chain reaction.

• Glutathione
• Superoxide dismutase

2. Secondary – Restore primary antioxidants since they have neutralized free radicals.

• Vitamin C (which regenerates vitamin E)
• Coenzyme Q10

The strongest natural antioxidants

Natural antioxidants are those that our body produces itself, that our cells create to protect us from oxidative stress. The strongest natural antioxidants include:

• Glutathione – The most important molecule for maintaining health and longevity. Glutathione is a powerful natural antioxidant consisting of 3 amino acids (cysteine, glutamine, glycine). The primary function of glutathione is free radical neutralization and detoxification. It is an excellent support for the immune system. The role of glutathione is to maintain other antioxidants (vit C, vit E) in their active form. It is also important for the proper function of mitochondria, because it helps cells to create energy.

• Superoxide dismutase (SOD) - This is a class of enzymes that converts free radicals into less dangerous substances, oxygen and hydrogen - peroxide, because our body removes them easily. SOD is present in almost all cells that use oxygen. There are different types of SOD, which bind metals such as copper, zinc, iron, manganese and nickel in order to function properly.
• Catalase - An enzyme that helps break down hydrogen peroxide, which is created as a byproduct of the oxidation process.
• Coenzyme Q10 – Basic enzyme for energy production in cells. It has strong antioxidant properties. Although we ingest it through food, the body produces it on its own, especially in the mitochondria, where it helps generate energy and neutralize free radicals. In its active form, ubiquinol, it helps protect the heart and brain.

• Melatonin – A hormone that regulates sleep and has strong antioxidant properties. Melatonin protects cells from oxidative stress, especially in the brain, and plays a role in strengthening immunity.

• Alpha-lipoic acid - An antioxidant that is present in both aqueous and fatty environments. The body produces it in small quantities. Its role is to restore other antioxidants, such as glutathione, vitamin C and vitamin E.

In addition to the endogenous antioxidants that our body makes itself, there are many natural antioxidants that come from food.

• Vitamin C