Antioxidant foods play an important part in maintaining health and preventing the occurrence of many types of cancers, heart disease and other diseases. Lists of antioxidant foods can be found on the Internet and in health magazines.
Reading these articles can be confusing due to the many different terms used in these articles.
Understanding the terminology used in the list of antioxidant foods will make choosing antioxidant foods much easier. Additionally, being informed about what each food type offers is beneficial just for knowing what the body is consuming.
Lists of antioxidant food commonly use phrases like catechin, EGCG, flavanoids, free radicals, ORAC and more. The following explanations should make navigating through these lists easier.
Catechins are a subclass of flavanoids that are found in teas and is one component of EGCG substances. It is a powerful antioxidant that is more potent than Vitamin E and C.
Researchers theorize that catechin’s effectiveness is due to its ability to stick to proteins and block bacteria from sticking to the cell walls in the body. Catechin in green tea works to prevent viruses from harming the body.
Flavanoids are a very large group of water-soluble plant pigments that work to protect the body from the effects of free radicals and damage from oxidation. Research has proven their potency against viruses, carcinogens and even allergens.
Many foods contain flavanoids, including fruits, vegetables, tea cocoa and red wine. Cocoa contains almost twice flavanoids as red wine and nearly three times the amount found in green tea. This is not an open policy to gorge on chocolate bars. However, dark chocolate, in moderation, is an excellent source of antioxidants.
Free radical is another term that is commonly found in articles or lists about antioxidant foods. Free radicals are molecules that are unstable that attack cells and cause damage that leads to cancers, disease and premature aging.
Oxygen radical absorbance capacity or ORAC is the term used for the measurement of antioxidant power of foods. High ORAC foods are those that contain high concentrations of antioxidants.
Any list of antioxidant foods that explains what antioxidants are will no doubt mention phytonutrients and polyphenols, both of which are plant derivatives.
Phytonutrients are those nutrients are derived from plants and considered essential nutrients for health. They include selenium, and Vitamin C, isoflavins and phytic acid inhibitors. Phytonutrients are found in broccoli, citrus fruits, soy beans and more.
Polyphenols are also found in plants that are chemical substances. Flavanoids are a class of polyphenol. These substances have antioxidant characteristics that are potent in battling heart disease, cancers and other diseases.
Health information can often be confusing and hard to understand, knowing and understanding some of the terms is another step to becoming healthier through proper diet and nutrition. Lists of antioxidant foods used to plan and prepare well-balanced diets are another important step in fighting free radicals.