The Whole Food Blog

To better appreciate natural antioxidants, it is helpful to understand a bit more about how human digestion works.  As compounds are broken down in the body, they are transformed into energy and various substances.  Some of these substances do damage, and that’s where natural antioxidants can be beneficial.

Oxygen is the key in the process of breaking down food, which is why the resulting molecules are considered to be “oxidized.”  Through various processes, the oxygen in a molecule loses electrons.  This results in a positively charged molecule that steals electrons from other molecules in order to try and rebalance its own neutral state.  Some of these molecules or partial molecules go on to cause significant damage if they’re not neutralized.  That is where natural antioxidants come into play.

The positively charged molecules created during the oxidation process are called “free radicals,” and as they seek out electrons, they damage cells within the body.  These cells then die or become poisoned.  Antioxidants are able to neutralize these free radicals before they are able to set off chain reactions that damage and kill cells.  Some natural antioxidants also have the job of repairing this type of damage once it has already been done.

The body helps to regulate some of this by creating its own antioxidants, such as catalase and glutathione perixidas.  We are also able to introduce additional antioxidants through the diet.  Unfortunately, modern diets generally offer a very low level of antioxidants. The best sources for the most potent natural antioxidants are whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, and nuts.