For some reason when we hear the term ‘antioxidant’ we think of them as less valuable than vitamins and other nutrients. We place antioxidants in the backseat as they aren’t discussed as much as vitamins and minerals, but could they be just as important? If not more important in some cases?
If I had to prioritize based on all the health research I have done in the past decade I’d prioritize them in this way:
- Minerals
- Antioxidants
- Vitamins
But it’s tricky because some (many) antioxidants are actually interchangable with vitamins. Vitamin C for example, the most researched vitamin of all time is also an antioxidant. Because the vitamin industry is so large and vitamins were sold before anything else this takes the main stage, still. It’s unfortunate because minerals are more important than vitamins in the body.
Setting vitamins and minerals aside however it is important to understand how antioxidants play a role in your biology at large. The question then becomes.. What do antioxidants do and how do they work?
Antioxidants counter the effects of oxidation on the body. What is oxidation? The video below will explain to help you understand what oxidation is and how it affects our health.
Understanding Oxidation And It’s Effects On The Body
How Do Antioxidants Work?
Antioxidants are substances that help protect cells in the body from damage caused by harmful molecules called free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that can cause oxidative stress, which is associated with various health problems and accelerated aging.
Antioxidants work by neutralizing free radicals, thereby preventing or minimizing their damaging effects. They accomplish this through a process called oxidation-reduction, where they donate an electron to the free radicals, stabilizing them and reducing their reactivity.
The body produces some antioxidants naturally, while others are obtained through the diet or supplements. Common dietary antioxidants include vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, selenium, and various phytochemicals found in fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based foods.
When antioxidants neutralize free radicals, they help maintain the balance between free radicals and antioxidants in the body, known as the antioxidant defense system. This balance is crucial for cellular health and overall well-being.
Antioxidants also have other important functions. They can regenerate other antioxidants, such as recycling vitamin C and vitamin E. Additionally, they can chelate or bind to certain metals that can catalyze the formation of harmful free radicals.
It’s important to note that while antioxidants are beneficial for the body, the concept of “more is better” doesn’t necessarily apply. Excessive amounts of antioxidants, either from supplements or high-dose formulations, may have negative effects and disrupt the delicate balance of the antioxidant defense system.
In summary, antioxidants play a crucial role in protecting cells from oxidative damage caused by free radicals. By neutralizing free radicals, they help maintain cellular health and contribute to overall well-being. A balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and other antioxidant-rich foods is generally recommended to obtain a variety of antioxidants naturally.
What Important Jobs Do Antioxidants Do in The Body?
Antioxidants play a crucial role in managing any and all damage from the outside world (environment, pollution) as well as damage that gets into your body. Internal damage can come from too much sugar in one sitting, eating foods or oils that are harmful to the body.
- Help To Balance Blood Sugar Levels
- Reduce Free Radical Damage And Oxidative Stress That Lead To Aging
- Reduces Inflammation
- Counteracts Chemical & Pollution Damage
- Give Your Body Electrons Back!
- Protects DNA & Cell Health
- Protects The Gut Lining
- Boosts Healthy Bacteria in The Gut
- Improves ATP (energy) production of the cell!
- And so much more!
Which Antioxidants Work Best For These Benefits?
There are so many benefits of antioxidants as you can see above, and there are specific antioxidants that work better than others to protect, strengthen and fortify your body. There’s a measurement known as ORAC score and ORAC simply stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. What does this mean? This video explains:
The higher the ORAC score the slower it oxidizes and the higher the antioxidant potential of that plant. There are many antioxidants that rank high on that list including turmeric, sumac, blueberries, raspberries and more.
The highest ORAC ranking antioxidant in the world ever recorded however is Sangre De Grado, and what’s great about this tree sap is that it not only acts to work in the body in such a powerful way to benefit the body in ways mentioned above but it’s a sticky tree sap. This sticky tree sap helps to heal, seal and repair the gut lining from damage caused by leaky gut.
If you’re looking to balance blood sugar levels, reduce damage from eating foods with seed oils and protect from chemicals, pollution, radiation and more then grab a bottle of Radiate 21. This formula contains Sangre De Grado, oregano, clove and cinnamon. Four of the top ten highest rated ORAC antioxidants. This is the ultimate antioxidant, forever young formula.
