Excerpt from The Healthy Millionaire™, See www.healthymillionairebook.com
A free radical is an atom or group of atoms that is highly chemically reactive because it has at least one unpaired electron. Free radicals are unstable molecules that run through the body, looking for free electrons to make them more stable. In stealing electrons, free radicals cause other cells to become free radicals and unstable. A domino effect occurs and thus disrupts cell function. Free radical damage to cells is believed to be a causative factor for ailments such as heart disease, cancer and the aging process.
Free radical damage is caused from the following:
- a normal part of metabolism
- after exercise
- exposure to sunlight
- environmental toxins
- heavy metal toxins
- exposure to Electromagnetic pollution (cell phone, microwaves)
- cigarette smoke
What saves us from free radicals? ANTI-OXIDANTS!
Anti-oxidants are stable molecules that have the ability to donate electrons to free radicals without becoming free radicals themselves. The most popular anti-oxidants are Vitamin C, E, A, and Selenium. Recent studies have shown that anti-oxidants in fruits and vegetables may have a more positive effect on free radicals because they contain not only the above mentioned vitamins and minerals, but thousands of phytonutrients that work synergistically to combat the damage. The synthetic formulation of these nutrients lacks the important co-factors and phytonutrients found naturally in foods. For this reason, it is recommend that patients increase their anti-oxidant status by taking whole food organic anti-oxidants in supplement form.
Some of the well studied phytochemical anti-oxidants found in foods include:
Carotenoids - Brightly coloured fruits and vegetables (carrots, red peppers, sweet potatoes, tomatoes) are rich in carotenoids.
Different carotenoids may be more beneficial than others. They include:
- Xanthophylls. Including lutein and zeaxanthin are found in the lenses of the eye and have proven effective in the prevention of
cataract formation in the eyes. Xanthophylls can be obtained from dark green leafy vegetables (such as spinach), broccoli, and eggs. - Lycopene is an important carotenoid that may also play an important role in eye health as a person ages.
Tomatoes are a good source of lycopene. - Beta carotene is the most widely studied carotenoid and is a powerful antioxidant.
Flavonoids - Flavonoids are compounds that are commonly found in nature and are grouped as; flavonols, flavones, flavanones, isoflavones, catechins, anthocyanidins and chalcones. Over 4,000 flavonoids have been identified and are usually found in fruits, vegetables. The flavonoids have been vastly studied because of their potential beneficial effects on human health-they have been reported to have antiviral, anti-allergic, antiplatelet, anti-inflammatory, antitumor and antioxidant activities.
- Flavanones: Found in citrus fruits neutralizes free radicals and prevents cellular degeneration
- Flavanols: Found in Green tea, apples and grapes. Maintains heart health and circulation
- Anthocyanidins: Found in Berries, Cherries and Grapes. Maintains brain function and increases cellular anti-oxidant function.
- Proanthocyanidins: Found in cranberries, cocoa, apples, grapes, wine. Maintains healthy urinary tract
Isothiocyanates - Powerful anti-oxidants found in cruciferous vegetables with anti-tumour effects.
- Sulforaphane: Found in cauliflower, broccoli, kale, cabbage
Phenols
- Caffeic, Ferulic acid: Found in apples, pears, citrus fruits-maintain heart health and vision
The ORAC Scale
Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) is a method of measuring antioxidant capacities of different foods.It was developed at the National Institiute of Aging in Baltimore, Maryland. The following is a list of fruits and vegetables with the highest ORAC values.
Fruits: Goji berries, Acai berries, prunes, bilberries, blueberries, cranberries, pomegranates, acerola cherries, apples, pineapples,
grapes, green tea, papaya
Vegetables: Kale, garlic, spinach, brussel sprouts, broccoli, beets, red peppers, tomatoes, carrots
