Let's revisit those odd words that were mentioned previously:
antioxidant and flavonoid.
Antioxidants are our bodies defense against free radicals.
Hmm... Now what are free radicals? Well, let's look and see what the Merriam-Webster dictionary says about each of these.
"Definition of antioxidant: a substance (such as beta-carotene or vitamin C) that inhibits oxidation or reactions promoted by oxygen, peroxides, or free radicals"
"Definition of free radical: an especially reactive atom or group of atoms that has one or more unpaired electrons
especially : one that is produced in the body by natural biological processes or introduced from an outside source (such as tobacco smoke, toxins, or pollutants) and that can damage cells, proteins, and DNA by altering their chemical structure"
For more information on free radicals, do check this out.
What we know from that is free radicals are not that helpful, and can cause harm to our bodies if there are too many of them. They can also be connected to many types of illnesses that can affect us. Thank goodness for antioxidants! They are the free radical neutralizers.
Our bodies may have their own to help keep these at bay but with all that we are being subjected to, we may need extra help. That extra help comes freely and generously from the foods that we eat, plant based whole foods, especifically fruits and vegetables.
Let's not give free radicals a completely bad rap though, they do have a job to do that is very beneficial to our health. The problem is if they get out of hand, so the key here is balance.
To get a broader understanding on this balancing act between antioxidants and free radicals, check this article out.
Last but not least is the flavonoid, and as with the other two, I share from the Merriam-Webster dictionary as well.
"Definition of flavonoid: any of a large group of typically biologically active water-soluble plant compounds (such as the anthocyanins and flavones) that include pigments ranging in color from yellow to red to blue and occur especially in fruits, vegetables, and herbs (such as grapes, citrus fruits, peppers, and dill)Flavonoids are effective scavengers of free radicals in the test tube (in vitro). However, even with very high flavonoid
intakes, plasma and intracellular flavonoid concentrations in humans are likely to be 100 to 1000 times lower than concentrations of other antioxidants …— Jane Higdon"
As you can see, not only can they be effective against free radicals, but this is also where those beautiful colors come from.
Not to disappoint, here is an article on flavonoids for enquirying minds. Click here.
Now that you have the scoop on antioxidants, flavonoids as well as free radicals, one last thing that I would love to know...
