Studies support the benefits of eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. This is due to their high antioxidant value. Why are antioxidants so important? Because they have a proven track record of fighting free radicals.
Your body is being constantly attacked by very harmful substances known as free radicals or oxygen radicals. Free radicals can destroy your cells, tissues and organs.
Free radicals are highly unstable molecules that are naturally formed inside our bodies by the process of oxidation. They are normal by products of everyday functions like digestion and physical activity. Free radicals also come from outside sources, such as smoking, environmental pollution, and synthetic chemicals that are added to our water and food.
We are also all exposed daily to polluted air, ingest oxidized or partially rancid foods, and oxidizing radiations from the sun and various electrical appliances.
Free radicals lack one electron making them chemically unstable. To stabilize themselves, they attack any other substance within reach and steel an electron from it. This process creates a new free radical, which repeats the process, producing a "domino effect." When this reaction is uncontrolled, it can generate millions of free radicals within seconds.
Fortunately our bodies come equipped with a free radical fighting mechanism. It consists of specialized enzymes that have a "spare" electron that they can give away without turning into free radicals. In order to protect us, the enzymes need help from certain substances known as antioxidants.
The antioxidant value of any food or supplement can be determined by it's ORAC rating. ORAC means Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. According to the University of Michigan, Comprehensive Cancer Center, the measurement of ORAC is a way to measure how many oxygen radicals a specific food can absorb. The more oxygen radicals a food can absorb, the higher its ORAC score. The higher its score... the more that food or supplement will help you fight diseases like cancer and heart disease.
Most experts agree that we should consume 5,000 ORAC units per day to effectively fight free radicals in the body. Sadly, most of us average around 1,200 units per day. Not nearly enough to protect us from the common ciseases of aging.
One of the best sources of antioxidants are berries and fruits. Most of us would have a very hard time eating the large amounts necessary to reach 5,000 ORAC units per day. For this reason, high ORAC supplements have been created. They contain berry and fruit extracts with a known ORAC rating. These supplements are inexpensive and provide many health benefits to your entire body and brain. Many people use these supplements as part of an anti-aging program. Keeping your cells from being destroyed goes a long way to staying healthy and young.
About the author: Brad Bahr is the author of many health related articles and websites. He has been testing and reviewing health supplements for many years. You can find more interesting health related articles at his website: http://www.findustuff.com
whole house cleaning Highland Park ..You may have noticed an ever-expanding choice of oils at... Read More
Did you know that the food you eat could be... Read More
My name is Mildred Shears. I'm retired and I live... Read More
It would be fair to assume that almost everyone on... Read More
Cholesterol is present in our bodies by one of two... Read More
The quality of food we eat (or lack thereof) has... Read More
Herbal teas have long been known to have medicinal benefits... Read More
Oats (botanical name Avena sativa)An oat is a grass that... Read More
Nutrition facts have become a part of everyday life because... Read More
At any grocery store in North America right now, there... Read More
The problem with sugar is that it doesn't contain any... Read More
Summer is the time when we sweat highly and beating... Read More
It is shocking how many people are not taking advantage... Read More
The Human Body is in a constant flux with the... Read More
Today's tip is on hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).Hypoglycemia affects both... Read More
Imagine you're a cell.Inside your body runs the machinery that... Read More
"What exercises can I do to ?? As fitness professional... Read More
The most incredible thing you can do for yourself is... Read More
There are so many topics to discuss which affect our... Read More
Is the thrill gone? Has the thrill gone out of... Read More
Last year I had a number of clients who started... Read More
When it comes to the topic of sports nutrition there... Read More
I am going to share with you possibly the most... Read More
Picture yourself in one of the following scenarios.You're cruising along... Read More
How is it that we can't seem to think that... Read More
pet-friendly home cleaners Glenview ..I'm going to be a bit radical here, but know... Read More
During the past thirty years there has been a steadily... Read More
The egg, the symbol of birth, of life and, therefore,... Read More
About 12.6 million Americans currently have heart disease.1.1 million Americans... Read More
Bread is one of the oldest known recipes to man.... Read More
Vitamin EThere has been a lot of controversy about vitamin... Read More
It is often taken as a given fact that soy... Read More
"It is a bone-deep change you are going into, my... Read More
There seems to be fairly poor tracking by any formal... Read More
Eating out when you are on a restricted diet always... Read More
How To Have A Healthy ThanksgivingEnd of the year holidays... Read More
In the brain, a typical protein can live for approximately... Read More
Because all of us have been brought up eating junk... Read More
Information on potassiumWhen you read about potassium and senate document... Read More
Numerous reports have recently appeared in both the lay and... Read More
Flaxseeds may be the smallest seeds you will find in... Read More
Calcium helps reduce constipationUsing calcium and magnesium in the right... Read More
Health food or heart attack on a plate? Eggs had... Read More
Have you ever watched someone who appears thin and healthy... Read More
Your fiber intake is a critical factor in weight loss... Read More
Following these simple nutrition guidelines will allow you to lose... Read More
The makers of Bumble Bee Tuna generated some buzz today... Read More
To research the health risks Sweet 'N Low and other... Read More
What if you could actually slow your rate of aging,... Read More
Arthritis - if you suffer from this illness, I don't... Read More
Nutrition |