Most Powerful Plant Antioxidants

What is the first association that occurs when a health conscious person hears the word "antioxidants"? Of course, the image of a sort of athlete with a shield and a sword is immediately formed, which is able to repel the onslaught of any disease. Therefore, antioxidants can simply be linked to good health as a whole. But how much do we know about antioxidants? Yes, they provide us with health, youth and longevity, but where are they found, the pharmacy won't sell us a jar of antioxidants ?! Calm down, now we'll figure it out!

Where are antioxidants found

Most of the antioxidants are found in fruits and vegetables. So, by consuming vegetables and fruits, and not necessarily in huge quantities, but simply by eating them fresh all year round, we will improve the appearance of our skin, lower the risk of heart disease, maintain normal brain function throughout life and become calmer. passively reacting to those events that we cannot change.

What are antioxidants?

Let's just a few words for general knowledge. Look - oxygen - it is all over the planet and without it a person will live for seconds, no more. However, when we breathe, we simultaneously saturate ourselves with life and death, why? Because oxygen is an oxidizing agent, it significantly changes the structure of our cells, fats and proteins in our bodies, it can even harm blood vessels and the heart, inhibits and disrupts the brain, ages our skin and impairs vision.

Panic? No - antioxidants will always come to the rescue - they, recognizing the danger from oxygen, immediately go to the rescue, killing toxins and free radicals. Remember how, after eating something unusual, we felt bad, and after eating vegetables and fruits, our condition improved - so this is a good example of the work of antioxidants. But antioxidants can get into the body if you eat a balanced and correct diet, you cannot classify them as miraculous substances that can heal everything in the world, no matter what lifestyle you lead.

But enough of the controversy, let's move on to products of plant origin, which can strengthen the shattered immunity and improve vision, and sometimes restore completely.

The first in line is beta-carotene

It is considered almost the most powerful antioxidant that strengthens the human immune system and helps to reduce optic nerve fatigue, and, consequently, some vision correction.

Beta-carotene is simply a huge amount in carrots (however, it is better to use it grated and a drop of vegetable oil), sweet potatoes, pumpkin (raw), zucchini (the youngest), mango, pomegranate and banal parsley (but, of course, first year of sowing). Beta-carotene is a real antioxidant that belongs to the group of carotenoids.

Grenades

Carrot Malika

How everything happens - you ate a carrot, in the stomach, beta-carotene is converted into the well-known vitamin A, and that's all.

Recent studies have confirmed that regular consumption of foods containing beta-carotene reduces the risk factor for oncology by several percent, normalizes and strengthens the heart muscle, removes "bad" cholesterol from the body, improves a person's ability to see in the dark (try eating a couple of carrots in the dark, breathe often for a minute and see the effect). Beta-carotene is even able to restore various mucous membranes of the body (mainly the stomach, of course, and not scratches in the nose) and, of course, strengthens the immune system.

Pumpkin

Lycopene

The next most powerful antioxidant is lycopene. He stands guard over our vessels, throws out harmful cholesterol from there. Lycopene is not just a lot, but a lot in watermelons (ripe, of course, in season), tomatoes, red peppers, radishes (more spring sowing) and grapefruit (but only red). Many scientists give lycopene to a group of carotenoids and this is not a mistake at all.

Tomato Barin F1

Sweet pepper F1 Medalist

By the way, according to research by American scientists, lycopene is the best way to prevent prostate cancer (so we lean on red pepper, men). Of course, lycopene also has a positive effect on blood vessels, it helps the heart beat correctly, improves the skin, preventing unnecessary evaporation of moisture and the ingress of radiation through the sun's rays (plays the role of a filter).

Lutein

Lutein is a powerful antioxidant that has a positive effect on the heart muscle, it can actually improve vision, especially if it is often tired after working at a computer or solving crossword puzzles.

The maximum amount of lutein is found in any green vegetable. Lutein, by the way, is still the same group of carotenoids, so almost all greens are rich in them.

Green crops

Vitamin C

Ascorbic acid, or vitamin C, is also a rather powerful antioxidant, it will strengthen the immune system, and protect against any infection in no time. Of course, vitamin C is most in citrus crops, there is a lot of it in broccoli, so beloved by everyone, guava, adored by kiwi and its younger sister actinidia, garden strawberries, as well as bell peppers, rose hips, papaya and black currants found in any garden.

Actinidia kolomikta ella

It is clear that you should not rip off the bark and gnaw the roots in order to get vitamin C, so that they do not write about its amount in the vegetative and aboveground mass - you need to eat fruits, moreover, fresh and ripe, there is a maximum of vitamin C there. Just one kiwi in a couple of days will enrich vitamin C for 48 hours, and this is a sharp strengthening of the immune system, as a shield against all diseases, the elimination of infection at an early stage, the elimination of acute respiratory viral infections, as well as the prevention of oncology, strengthening the heart muscle, treatment of fatigue and stress. In addition, vitamin C (probably if you eat only vegetables and fruits with its content) promotes weight loss, weakens the effects of arthritis, and can even improve vision.

Bioflavonoids

Bioflavonoids are considered the most powerful antioxidants for cancer prevention.

Remember the American proverb that we all translated in our English lessons? One apple a day drives the doctor away! And it's true, and besides the apple, bioflavonoids are found in onions, various citrus fruits, pomegranate, green tea, purple grapes and blueberries. In general, scientists have long found a correlation between the presence of vitamin C and bioflavonoids in a fruit or berry. They literally work in tandem, forming a kind of wall, consisting of a stable and durable structure of antioxidants that transform the human immune system into a monolith. What follows from this? You will forget about various respiratory diseases, perhaps alleviate the symptoms of allergies, various kinds of infections, reduce the risk of cancer by a couple of percent, speed up the healing of various inflammations, and also strengthen the heart muscle.

Grapes

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is also thought to be an antioxidant that can alleviate a range of pain sensations, and more.

Vitamin E is simply a huge amount in whole wheat, fish and eggs, but, of course, most of it is found in a variety of vegetable oils - for example, olive and wheat germ oil, as well as in avocados, almost all nuts. First of all, vitamin E soothes and normalizes the functioning of the nervous system, which means that if somewhere some nerve in you for no particular reason is naughty and hurts, then vitamin E will quickly calm it down. In addition, vitamin E strengthens the heart muscle, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases, it reduces the amount of cholesterol in the blood vessels, thins the blood, and significantly reduces the risk of stroke. It is such an antioxidant that can reduce the risk of oncology by a fraction of a percent, stimulate and improve the functioning of the pulmonary apparatus, even in patients with tuberculosis. Vitamin E is an indispensable remedy for arthritis,since it significantly reduces pain, well, it strengthens the immune system too well.

Selenium

Selenium is another powerful antioxidant, many people got acquainted with it when they bought Brewer's Yeast, and with selenium in its composition they cost twice as much.

Most of all selenium, oddly enough, is found in Brazil nuts, so it is much easier to get it in its pure form. It was once believed that regular consumption of selenium would rid the world of oncology - alas, it is not so, rather, selenium can get rid of heart attacks, which in fact is also not bad. Side effects of the consumption of Brazil nuts or the use of selenium in the fortified form is its ability to heal all sorts of inflammation, excretion and detoxification of various toxic metals that have entered the body (but will definitely not save from polonium), which can both suddenly enter and accumulate in the body throughout a person's life. Selenium, among other things, normalizes and strengthens the pancreas. However, do not overuse selenium - if we are talking about Brazil nuts, then a couple of pieces a day is the optimal dose,Well, if about pills, then usually one contains a daily dose of selenium.

Coenzyme Q10

Coenzyme Q10 is one of the most powerful antioxidants that is responsible for regulating metabolic processes in our body. Simply put, it is an antioxidant that turns back the clock and rejuvenates the body. The most interesting thing is that this coenzyme itself is produced in our body, but with age, its amount tends to zero. To replenish and maintain coenzyme Q10 at the proper level, you need to eat fish, meat, beans and eggs, but this antioxidant is low there, so it is often used in artificial supplements. This coenzyme, in addition to general rejuvenation of the body, strengthens the immune system, normalizes blood pressure, regulates blood sugar levels, breaks down fat, prevents oncology, and also treats fatigue after a hard day.But it is important - when using it, be sure to consult with your doctor and take a course of tests.

Alpha lipoic acid

In conclusion, I would also like to introduce a very powerful antioxidant - alpha-lipoic acid, usually used for diabetics, as well as to rid the body of accumulated toxins.

Spinach victoria

Potatoes

The highest alpha lipoic acid is found in yeast, broccoli, potatoes, and spinach. It is probably the least known antioxidant, but no less important than the others. Its presence in the body contributes to a more efficient assimilation of food, preventing the accumulation of excess fat, it removes a variety of toxins from the body, strengthens the immune system, and regulates blood sugar levels.

As you can see, there are a lot of antioxidants, literally for every taste and color. The main thing is to consume more fresh vegetables and fruits, eat processed but freshly caught fish and preferably eat meat that is grown in a traditional way, without the use of steroids, then antioxidants will indeed have a powerful effect on the human body.

And never forget that perhaps the most powerful antioxidant is our brain. When you wake up, always tell yourself that I am the healthiest and happiest person on the planet, and everything will be fine. Moreover, if everyone says so, then everything will be fine on the whole planet!

Read also the article What are antioxidants and what are they eaten with?

Photo: Rita Brilliantova