» I Love Antioxidants

There has been a lot of buzz lately about antioxidants, and about how they are so “good for you”. The truth is, they really are. As with most things, they are good for you within reason. Here is a layman’s view of why they are good for you, and why you need them.

When you exercise, your body uses stored carbohydrates (glycogen) and fat for energy. These energy stores are mixed with oxygen, resulting in the production of oxidants. Over the course of the next few days, these things called free radicals are produced by your body, which actually are doing us a favor by removing damaged tissue.

However, participating in endurance sports (prolonged physical activity) results in a lot of free radicals, which end up harming your body. This is where antioxidants come in. Antioxidants are actually neutralizing those free radicals, reducing the damage done at the cellular level. Score!

The common antioxidants are: Vitamin A, C and E, Cartenoids, Selenium, Beta Carotene, Lyceum, and Lutein. Without going into specifics, they can be found in just about every fruit and vegetable, along with nuts, whole grains and meats. If you didn’t notice, everything listed there makes up a complete diet! Aside from the antioxidant powerhouses of plants, here are some other items that have high levels of antioxidants, Coffee, Tea, Olive Oil, Chocolate, and Wine! I don’t know about you, but a dinner with a salad (topped with a olive oil based dressing), a glass of wine, and a piece of chocolate to go with that coffee or tea for desert just sounds like a victory for the good guys!

Written by Ryan Denner