Antioxidants defined

Antioxidants are becoming increasingly well known
in the world of health

Antioxidants are really one of the most basic components of maintaining good health.

It should therefore be no surprise that they are receiving an increasing amount of attention in the world of health.

Let’s discover what they are exactly…….

Antioxidants are molecules that help slow or prevent the oxidation of other molecules. In the context of our bodies, oxidation is the chemical reaction where electrons from one molecule transfer to an oxidizing agent (another molecule).

This reaction produces free radicals. These are chemically unstable and set off a chain reaction which damages cells. Free radicals damage cells by removing their electrons, causing oxidation.

This oxidation process can wrinkle skin, damage internal organs, damage DNA, and has been linked to signs and symptoms of early aging.

Antioxidants help end these chain reactions by donating electrons to free radicals. In this process they become stable and their harmful numbers are reduced.

There are two ways that have been developed to measure a substance’s antioxidant level.

The first method is called ORAC and stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity.

This method was developed by the United States Department of Agriculture to measure the antioxidant levels in foods. ORAC measured polyphenols, an antioxidant found in good quantities in brightly colored fruits and vegetables.

However, not all antioxidants have color. This led to the development of another system called ORP, which stands for Oxidation Reduction Potential. This meter is used primarily to test the ORP of water and other liquids.

The ORP meter measures in milli-volts. Oxidized liquids show readings greater than zero. Liquids with negative values have an excess of electrons, which make them capable of being highly effective antioxidants.

Anyone can purchase an ORP meter to test liquids and water from the convenience of home.

Ionized water has the greatest electron donating capacity of all of the antioxidant sources available.

Please refer to the Alkaline Ionized Water page for more information about this kind of water.

Go here to learn about the foods with the highest antioxidant levels.

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