Apple Cider Vinegar

Source: Best Herbs for indoor.

Foods to Keep Young

8 Perfect Stay-Young Food

 

Eating right isn't just about weight loss—the nutrients you take in can have a serious effect on how you think, feel, and look! Our bodies and our feelings are nothing more than reflections of the various chemicals flowing through our system on a daily basis. Make sure those chemicals are the healthy kind you get from the right mix of fruits and vegetables, proteins and fats, and you’ll feel healthier, more energetic, and happier than you have in years.

  

Eggs

Benefit: Weight loss

Substitute: Egg Beaters egg substitute

  

When it comes to breakfast, you can’t beat eggs. (That was too easy, wasn’t it?) Seriously, at a cost of only 72 calories, each large egg holds 6.3 grams of high-quality protein and a powerhouse load of vital nutrients. A study published in the International Journal of Obesity found that people who replace carbs with eggs for breakfast lose weight 65 percent quicker. Researchers in Michigan were able to determine that regular egg eaters enjoyed more vitamins and minerals in their diets than those who ate few or no eggs. By examining surveys from more than 25,000 people, the researchers found that egg eaters are about half as likely to be deficient in vitamin B12, 24 percent less likely to be deficient in vitamin A, and 36 percent less likely to be deficient in vitamin E. And here’s something more shocking: Those who ate at least four eggs a week had significantly lower cholesterol levels than those who ate fewer than one. Turns out, the dietary cholesterol in the yolk has little impact on your serum cholesterol.

Bonus tip: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Choose wisely—avoid the foods on our list of 20 Worst Breakfasts in America.

  

  

Green tea

Benefit: Longer lifespan

Substitutes: Yerba mate, white tea, oolong tea, rooibos (red) tea

  

Literally hundreds of studies have been carried out documenting the health benefits of catechins, the group of antioxidants concentrated in the leaves of tea plants. Among the most startling studies was one published by the American Medical Association in 2006. The study followed more than 40,000 Japanese adults for a decade, and at the 7-year follow-up, those who had been drinking five or more cups of tea per day were 26 percent less likely to die of any cause compared with those who averaged less than a cup. Looking for more-immediate results? Another Japanese study broke participants into two groups, only one of which was put on a catechin-rich green-tea diet. At the end of 12 weeks, the green-tea group had achieved significantly smaller body weights and waistlines than those in the control group. Why? Because researchers believe that catechins are effective at boosting metabolism.

Bonus tip: The average American consumes 400 liquid calories a day. Minimize that impact—avoid the 20 Worst Drinks in America.

  

  

Garlic

Benefit: Cardiovascular strengthening

Substitutes: Onions, chives, leeks

  

Allicin, an antibacterial and antifungal compound, is the steam engine pushing forward garlic’s myriad health benefits. The chemical is produced by the garlic plant as a defense against pests, but inside your body, it fights cancer, strengthens your cardiovascular system, decreases fat storage, and fights acne inflammation. To activate the most allicin possible, you have to crush the garlic as finely as you can: Peel the cloves, and then use the side of a heavy chef's knife to crush the garlic before carefully mincing it. Be sure not to overcook it, as too much heat will render the compound completely useless (and your food totally bitter).

Bonus tip: Some foods keep you looking young. Others can quite literally cure what ails you. Check out these super 15 Foods That Cure.

  

Grapefruit

Benefit: Weight loss

Substitutes: Oranges, watermelon, tomatoes

  

Just call it the better-body fruit. In a study of 100 obese people at the Scripps Clinic in California, those who ate half a grapefruit with each meal lost an average of 3.6 pounds over the course of 12 weeks, and some lost as many as 10 pounds. The study’s control group, in contrast, lost a paltry 1/2 pound. But here’s something even better: Those who ate the grapefruit also exhibited a decrease in insulin levels, indicating that their bodies had improved their ability to metabolize sugar. If you can't stomach a grapefruit-a-day regime, try to find as many ways possible to sneak grapefruit into your diet. Even a moderate increase in grapefruit intake should yield results, not to mention earn you a massive dose of lycopene—the cancer-preventing antioxidant found most commonly in tomatoes.

Bonus tip: Eat well and you’ll feel younger and more vibrant. Add exercise to the mix and you’ll practically erase markers of age.

  

Greek Yogurt

Benefit: Feeling fuller for longer

Substitutes: Kefir and yogurt with “live and active cultures” printed on the product label

  

If it’s dessert you want, go with regular yogurt; but if it’s protein, go Greek. What sets the two apart? Greek yogurt is separated from the watery whey that sits on top of regular yogurt, and the process removes excessive sugars, such as lactose, and increases the concentration of protein by as much as three times. That means it fills your belly more like a meal than a snack. Plus a single cup has about a quarter of your day’s calcium, and studies show that dieters on calcium-rich diets have an easier time losing body fat. In one study, participants on a high-calcium dairy diet lost 70 percent more body weight than those on a calorie-restricted diet alone. If only a similar claim could be made of everything you eat. 

Bonus tip: Fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt is a classic example of a food that doesn’t deserve its healthy reputation—see what else makes our list of the 30 “Healthy” Foods that Aren’t.

  

Avocado

Benefit: Reduced risk of heart disease

Substitutes: Olive, canola, and peanut oils; peanut butter; tahini

  

Here’s what often gets lost in America’s fat phobia: Some fats are actually good for you. More than half the calories in each creamy green fruit comes from one of the world’s healthiest fats, a kind called monounsaturates. These fats differ from saturated fats in that they have one double-bonded carbon atom, but that small difference at the molecular level amounts to a dramatic improvement in your health. Numerous studies have shown that monounsaturated fats both improve you cholesterol profile and decrease the amount of triglycerides (more fats) floating around in your blood. This can lower your risk of stroke and heart disease. Worried about weight gain? Don’t be. There’s no causal link between monounsaturated fats and body fat. 

  

Bell Peppers

Benefit: Improved immune function

Substitutes: Carrots, sweet potatoes, watermelon

  

All peppers are loaded with antioxidants, but none so much as the brightly colored reds, yellows, and oranges. These colors result from carotenoids concentrated in the flesh of the peppers, and it’s these same carotenoids that give tomatoes, carrots, and grapefruits their healthy hues. The range of benefits provided by these colorful pigments include improved immune function, better communication between cells, protection against sun damage, and a diminished risk of several types of cancer. And if you can take the heat, try cooking with chili peppers. The bell pepper cousins are still loaded with carotenoids and vitamin C, but have the added benefit of capsaicins, temperature-raising phytochemicals that have been shown to fight headache and arthritis pain as well as boost metabolism.

  

Almonds

Benefit: Improved memory

Substitutes: Walnuts, pecans, peanuts, sesame seeds, flaxseeds

  

An ounce of almonds—or about 23 nuts—a day provides nearly 9 grams of heart-healthy oleic acid; that’s more than the amounts found in peanuts, walnuts, or cashews. This monounsaturated fat is known to be responsible for a flurry of health benefits, the most recently discovered of which is improved memory. Rats in California were better able to navigate a maze the second time around if they’d been fed oleic acid, and there’s no reason to assume that the same treatment won’t help you navigate your day-to-day life. If nothing else, snacking on the brittle nuts will take your mind off your hunger. Nearly a quarter of an almond’s calories come from belly-filling fiber and protein. That’s why, when researchers at Purdue fed study participants nuts or rice cakes, those who ate the nuts felt full for an hour and a half longer than the rice cake group did. 

Bonus Tip: Before you go out to eat, grab a handful of almonds; it could help keep your hunger at bay.

By David Zinczenko, with Matt Goulding

Watercress

It is very easy to grow Watercress at home, just soil, some sunlight and water. Fresh vegetable and decoration on your dining table.

 

Watercress : Gram for gram, watercress contains more vitamin C than oranges, four times more beta-carotene and vitamin A than apples, tomatoes and broccoli, more vitamin E than broccoli, more calcium than whole milk and more iron than spinach.
It also contains lutein and zeaxanthin (45 times that of tomatoes and more than triple the amount in broccoli).
It is also the richest dietary source of PEITC (phenylethyl isothiocyanate) which research suggests can fight cancer.
 


Cruciferous vegetables, such as watercress and broccoli, are well known for containing glucosinolates, phytochemicals that are hydrolyzed to produce isothiocyanates, which have been studied for their anticancer effects. Dietary intake of these compounds has been shown to counter breast, lung, colorectal, head and neck, and prostate cancers.

 
This Green Veggie for Better Workout Results by Cynthia Sass. As a board certified sports RD, I often explain to my clients that while exercise is necessary for seeing results in strength, endurance, and body composition, it also takes a toll on the body. The wear and tear and increased demand can create more free radicals, nasty substances that contribute to DNA damage. That’s why a nutrient-rich diet that neutralizes free radicals and allows the body to heal goes hand in hand with training.

 
In this particular study, ten healthy young men were given a small bag of watercress, about 3 ounces, daily for eight weeks. The participants were then asked to execute treadmill workouts that included short bursts of intense exercise. Another group, which was not given watercress also performed the treadmill workout after eight-week as a control.

 
The athletes who had not eaten watercress experienced more DNA damage, and for the watercress consumers, the benefits were seen after just one dose. In other words, the nutrients didn’t need to accumulate over days. Those who ate the veggie just two hours before hitting the treadmill experienced the same benefits as those who had munched on it daily for two months. Pretty powerful stuff!


Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/ 

Easy cook - Tom yum goong

How to cook Tom yum goong.

 

Tom Yum Goong Soup is a classic Thai cuisine which has been popular around the world. Tom Yum soup has potent combination of many herbs and spices with many health benefits. This Thai classic soup was under scientific study to proof its immune-boosting power against cold and flu.

Ingredients: Serve 2-3 people

•  
• Clear broth or water 3 cups
• Shelled prawns, 10-12 raw
• Lemongrass, 2-3 stalks cut in pieces
• Kaffir lime leaves, 3-4 whole leaves
• Galangal root, rough cut in 4-5 pieces
• Straw mushrooms, 6-8 cut halved
• Small chilies, 2-3 whole or pounded
• Fish sauce 4 tablespoons
• Lime juice 4 tablespoons

Optional ingredients

• Coconut milk 1 cup
• Cherry tomatoes, 3-4 halved
• Holy basil, 4-5 leaves
• Thai chili paste (Nam-prik-proa in Thai) 1-2 tablespoons

Method:

1. Boil broth or water with all cut lemongrass, whole kaffir leave, cut galangal roots and pounded chillies by medium-high heat.
 

2. Once the water is boiling, add prawns, halved mushroom, cherry tomatoes (optional). Until shrimps turn orange (cooked through).
 

3. Turn off the heat, add fish sauce and lime juice.

+ IF you want to add coconut milk (optional), add it in step 2 boil altogether.

+ IF you want to holy basil leaves, add leaves when served in a bowl to preserve its spicy taste and aroma scent.

+ IF you want to add Nam-prik proa chilli sweet paste, add 1 tablespoon when served in a bowl.

Cooking Tips:

• All herbs: lemongrass, galangal root and chilli are quite spicy, you can adjust the taste by yourself
• Do not boil prawns too long, cook as instructed to add prawns when all ingredients boiling.
• Add lime juice as the final step after you turn off the heat to preserve its sour taste and scent.
• Rather than prawns, you may like to add squid, fish, shells etc. to make seafood tom yum.

Powerful Weight Loss Foods

Six food groups hold the "power" to help you lose weight and turn back the clock.

1. Produce
  
Piling your plate with fruits and vegetables is a no-brainer when it comes to weight loss — they're low in calories, high in nutrients, and filling — but the latest studies show that certain ones can provide surprising anti-aging benefits.

There's buzz about blueberries, for instance, for their memory-boosting potential. But berries of all hues are antioxidant-rich, reports Navindra P. Seeram, Ph.D., assistant professor at the University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy in Kingston. That means they combat free radicals, molecules that can cause widespread cell damage and are linked to chronic inflammation. Unlike the inflammation that occurs when you sprain an ankle or strain a muscle, the type that contributes to aging is persistent, and thought to be at the root of most chronic diseases, from cancer, heart disease, and diabetes to Alzheimer's, arthritis, and osteoporosis. Berries' beauty bonus: They're chock-full of vitamin C, another potent antioxidant that may help keep your complexion looking smooth by fighting those pesky (skin-damaging) free radicals.

To keep your vision sharp, set your sights on spinach and other dark leafy greens. These veggies are prime sources of lutein and zeaxanthin, plant pigments that protect your eyes from the harmful effects of ultraviolet light. Leafy greens are also rich in vitamin K, a nutrient that plays a role in reducing bone loss and preventing fractures.


2. Protein 

This key dietary component becomes even more critical starting in the 40s, when muscle mass begins to decline by up to 1 percent a year. That drop slows metabolism, which makes the pounds pile on more easily. The double whammy consequence: Added weight puts your health at risk, and down the road, diminished muscle mass can throw off your balance (upping chances of a fall), sap your strength, and even threaten your ability to recover from an illness or accident.

To hang on to your metabolism-boosting muscle — and keep you feeling full after meals (another protein plus) — experts recommend eating eggs, beans, and seafood. And don't forget protein-rich dairy: Minerals (primarily calcium, phosphorus, and potassium) in fat-free milk and yogurt as well as low-fat cheeses help to keep blood pressure healthy, pudge in check, and bones strong. News flash: Calcium can't build bone if you're not getting enough protein, and current recommendations — about five ounces a day for a 145-pound woman — are too low, says Robert P. Heaney, M.D., professor of medicine at Creighton University in Omaha.

Another reason to spoon up some yogurt: Eating at least 1/4 cup every day led to a 60 percent lower risk of gum disease and a 50 percent lower risk of tooth loss in a Japanese study published in the Journal of Periodontology. The effect is thought to be linked to the probiotics in yogurt, but not in most other dairy.


3. Omega-3-Rich Fish
  
Fatty acids in seafood help quench the flames of chronic inflammation. In addition, "there's very good new data suggesting that omega-3 fats from fish act on an area of the brain that leads to improved mood and attitude among healthy people," says Artemis P. Simopoulos, M.D., author of The Omega Diet. These improvements in outlook lead to feeling healthier and more vigorous, she explains. The omega-3s in fatty fish like salmon and tuna have the most potent anti-inflammatory effects. But it's smart to consume omega-3s from plant sources, like walnuts and flaxseed, too — especially if you're not fond of fish.


4. Whole Grains

A 2008 review of these diet-friendly foods — which include whole wheat, oats, and brown rice, and the bread, cereal, and other edibles made from them — concluded that a meal plan loaded with whole grains helps you stay slim, thanks, in part, to fiber's role in appetite control. Their low rankings on the glycemic index (a system that rates the effect of different carbohydrates on blood sugar levels) may also play a role.

A raft of research has also shown that whole grains offer protection against diabetes, heart disease, stroke, colon cancer, high blood pressure, and gum disease. These benefits are tied to the array of vitamins, minerals, plant chemicals, and again, fiber that work together to promote health. (That's why refined grains, which filter out these nutrients during manufacturing, and add some back later in the process, don't offer the same advantages.)


5. Exercise

It's an anti-aging bonanza: Being active maintains muscle mass, boosts metabolism, and keeps your heart and lungs primed, among other benefits. Now, a recent study has found that running, in particular, promotes a long, independent life. Researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine followed a group of runners and non-runners for 21 years and found that elderly runners put off age-related disabilities for 16 years beyond their non-running counterparts. Runners also lived longer: 19 years into the study, only 15 percent of them had died compared with 34 percent of the non-runners. And the active ones were less likely to die from heart disease, stroke, cancer,and neurological conditions. While this study examined running, 30 minutes of more moderate aerobic activity, five days a week, will keep you healthy, according to recently released guidelines from the American Heart Association and American College of Sports Medicine. What should also be on your fitness agenda: strength training twice a week to maintain muscle and keep your metabolism humming.


6. Red Wine and Other Drinks
  
What other diet recommends red wine? Ours does because the ruby beverage's resveratrol is a potent antioxidant, inflammation damper, and artery protector. Plus, animal research suggests that high amounts of resveratrol may counteract cell death in the heart and brain, which could mean this compound has even greater potential to prolong your life. Limit yourself to one five-ounce glass a day; more could be harmful.

If you're not a wine drinker, no worries: Put on the coffeemaker or the kettle instead. Coffee appears to lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and Parkinson's disease, and evidence suggests that java drinkers have a lower chance of dying from heart disease. Some of the benefit may come from caffeine, but coffee also contains chlorogenic acids, antioxidants that might also play a protective role. Drinking tea may lower your risk of heart attacks, strengthen your immune system, protect tooth enamel, and help fight memory loss associated with aging. Choose green, black, white, or oolong — their leaves all come from the camellia sinensis, or tea plant. And their polyphenols (antioxidants), fluoride, and caffeine — which are thought to contribute to these health benefits — are largely missing from herbal brews.



Two Secret Age-Defying Treats
  

They seem like diet no-no's because of their calorie load, but dark chocolate and a handful (not a canful) of nuts have longevity and weight-loss benefits.

This just in: Nuts give you a surprising diet edge. A recent study found that despite being a high-fat, high-cal food, they don't promote weight gain. The reason: People find nuts filling and after eating them, offset some of the calories by eating less later on. Best of all, up to 20 percent of the calories in nuts don't get absorbed.

Craving something sweet? Dip into dark chocolate. The latest evidence suggests that cocoa flavanols (more predominant in dark chocolate than milky versions) may lower inflammation, keep blood pressure in check, prevent platelets from clotting (which could, in turn, prevent strokes and heart attacks), and boost brain power.


By Samantha B. Cassetty, M.S., R.D. and Delia Hammock, M.S., R.D
 

 

Virgin Coconut Oil

" Coconut oil is the healthiest oil on Earth " says Dr. Bruce Fife, a naturopathic doctor and the author of the book The Healing Miracles of Coconut Oil.

virgin coconut oil is a stable, healthy saturated fat that is naturally free from trans-fatty acids. It contains medium-chain fatty acids, especially lauric acid.

Dr.Mary Enig a Ph.D. nutritionist, biochemist and one of the world’s leading authorities on fats and oils  states "Approximately 50% of the fatty acids in coconut fat are lauric acid. Lauric acid is a medium chain fatty acid, which has the additional beneficial function of being formed into monolaurin in the human or animal body. Monolaurin is the antiviral, antibacterial, and antiprotozoal monoglyceride used by the human or animal to destroy lipid coated viruses such as HIV, herpes, cytomegalovirus, influenza, various pathogenic bacteria including listeria monocytogenes and heliobacter pylori, and protozoa such as giardia lamblia. Some studies have also shown some antimicrobial effects of the free lauric acid."


What is Lauric acid?


The difference between coconut oil and other medium chain triglyceride oils is coconut oil contains a particular fatty acid called laurate (lauric acid), while commercial medium chain triglyceride oil preparations don’t.

Lauric acid is a medium chain fatty acid which is found abundant* in coconut oil. Of which lauric acid is one unique composition of human breast milk. Human breast milk fat includes the fatty acids, lauric acid and capric acid. Lauric acid in breast milk plays a vital role to immune-compromised individuals, protect a baby's intestines from bacterial, protozoal, viral, and fungal infections.

A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published in 1998 reveals that lactating mothers who eat coconut oil and coconut products, increased lauric acid and capric acid levels in their breast milk significantly. Generally lactating women milk fat will have 3% lauric acid and 1% capric acid if their diet does not contain lauric acid. But if a lactating woman eat foods rich in lauric acid, the amount of lauric acid in her breast milk increases substantially to levels three times the original level and nearly double the amount of capric acid.


Virgin coconut oil and Weight loss


The effects of virgin coconut oil to promote weight loss have clearly been revealed by many researchers. Virgin coconut oil can promote weight loss because

the healthy medium chain fatty acids of virgin coconut oil do not circulate in blood circulation like other fats, because they are not packed into lipoproteins but the virgin coconut oil will be through directly to the liver where they are immediately converted into energy, not stored as body fat, just like carbohydrates. Therefore, our body can use the fat in virgin coconut oil as energy.
Thermogenic efefcts by medium chain fatty acids in coconut oil speed up the body's metabolism burning more calories and promoting weight loss.
MC Gill University researchers based in Canada discovered that consuming virgin coconut oil alone can make you lose up to 36 pounds per year. Substitution other vegetables oil with virgin coconut oil and include it in your daily food intake.
  


Recommended dose of virgin coconut oil for weight loss


Recommended dose 1: Take extra virgin coconut oil after wake up in the morning every day. The quantity of virgin coconut oil by calculating from 1 milliliter (ml. or c.c.) per your weight 1 kilogram (2.2 pound). For easy calculation, 1 tablespoon is 14 ml. And 2 tablespoons is 1 ounce (28 ml.). 1 ounce is for 28 kg weight (61.6 pounds weight).

Recommended dose 2: Take 2 tablespoons of virgin coconut oil in the morning before breakfast everyday.

Other health benefits of virgin coocnut oil on weight loss :

• Reduces the number of fat cells, and amount of fats stored 
• Reducing obesity. Obesity is caused by eating too much long-chain fatty acids (vegetable oil), while medium-chain fatty acids (as in coconut oil) reverse this condition. 
• Speeds up metabolism after meals. Rapidly oxidized or burned by the liver - as fast as pure glucose   
• Results in steady weight loss for obese individuals, and weight maintenance for healthy people 
• Helps maintain already healthy levels of cholesterol and thermogenesis 
• Improves athletic endurance exercise performance 
• Great for low carbohydrate diets 
• Can be used in place of butter. Enjoy in cooking, frying, baking or in smoothies

Virgin coconut oil and antioxidants


Virgin coconut oil is a potent antioxidant. Virgin coocnut oil is very rich in natural vitamin E because the coconut fresh meat is produced through cold process. Vitamin E was not lost in the heat. Vitamin E in virgin coconut oil is in tocotrienols form which is very much more potent in their anti-oxidation and anti-cancer effects than tocopherols form. Tocopherols is another form of vitamin E family and tocopherols are widely used in many cosmetics skin care.

The tocotrienols vitamin E in virgin coconut oil is 40-60 times more potent antioxidation than tocopherols.


Health benefits of Virgin Coconut Oil

• Reduces liver's production of LDL "bad" cholesterol 
• Has no effect on production of HDL "good" cholesterol 
• Reduces circulating triglycerides and free fatty acids FFAs 
• Reduces intra-cellular lipids in muscle tissue, reducing insulin resistance 
• Fights many bacterial infections, including H.Pylori which is the cause of most ulcers. 
• Fights many viral infections 
• Improves NIDDM (type 2 diabetes) glycemic metabolism, by increasing insulin sensitivity and insulin controlled glucose disposal 
• Help reduce blood pressure 
• Accelerates or catalyzes burning and oxidation of other oils by the liver 
•  

How virgin coconut oil are processed  


Virgin Coconut Oil is cold-processed to extract 100% pure natural coconut oil. No any heat (only 1-5 c degree) during the extraction process to prevent the loss of inherent Vitamin E, nutrients, and its super antioxidants. It is produced by only using very fresh coconut meat. Coconuts are from traditional palms only, organic and non-GMO, no hybrid varieties. Organically grown coconuts will be shredded within two hours of chopping and through cold-processed (only 1-5 c degree) to release coconut milk, then fermented for a great taste and aroma. The same methods as farmers have used for centuries. Extra virgin coconut oil is non hydrogenated, unrefined, unbleached and non deodorized.

Presentation: If stored at room temperature 25 c, it will be Crystal clear solution, if stored lower 25 c the solution will solidify. No refrigerator required. Shelf life is 2-3 years.

Indications: Many benefits as moisturizer for skin and hair, as cleanser for eyes & face, healthy oil for cooking and for weight loss.

Dose serve: Daily take 1-3 tablespoons for good health benefits as mention above.



More beauty tips

http://purebreastherbs.com/  

Antioxidants

by PureMiracleherbs.com



Our cells are composed of many molecules. Molecules consist of one or more atoms of one or more elements joined by chemical bonds.    

What are Antioxidants?  

Antioxidants (or anti-oxidation agents) are substance that protect body cells from the damage caused by oxidation from free radicals (free oxygen radicals).   

Antioxidants scavenge free radicals from our body cells by binding to free radicals, decreasing the free radicals destructive power. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals by donating one of their own electrons, breaking the electron-stealing chain reaction. The antioxidant themselves do not become free radicals by donating an electron because they are stable in either form.   

Antioxidants act like scavengers, preventing cell damage. Antioxidants can also help repair damage already sustained by cells.    

Because oxidation happens naturally by our metabolism and environmental exposure, consumption of antioxidants must to maintain health. Our body has some defense mechanism to against free radicals oxidation. It can produce some antioxidants like glutathione, lipoic acid, and CoQ10 in a small amount. But these antioxidants level decline with age and studies found that these our own antioxidants become less and less effective with aging.   Our body cannot manufacture antioxidants, we can gain antioxidants only in the diet.  

Antioxidants are found in only certain foods.   

 "Antioxidant, the natural cleanser for our body."  

 
What are free radicals?

Oxidants, commonly known as free radicals.  

Free radicals are atoms with unpaired number of electrons, and then their chemical structures are very unstable. To gain stability, free radicals react quickly with other molecules by attacking the nearest stable molecule and stealing its electron. When the attacked molecule loses its electron, it becomes a free radical itself, the highly reactive radicals beginning a chain reaction, like dominoes. Once the process is started, it can cascade, finally causing cell damage. Cell disruption from free radicals contribute to aging and many chronic disease.   

Free radicals are naturally produced. Oxidation happens everyday in our normal metabolic processes and our exposure to environment like tobacco, smoke and radiation. Breathing, eating, going out in the sun all contribute to the process of oxidation.  

Oxidation can be accelerated by stress, cigarette smoking, sunlight, pollution things that people put into their bodies such as alcohol, unhealthy foods and other factors.   

Free radicals are very unstable molecules that can freely react with and destroy healthy cells, leading to cell dysfunction. Free radicals are believed to play a role in aging process, cancer, heart, eye, neurological and other diseases because they can bind to and alter the structure of DNA (genetic material) thus leading to mutations and eventually to cancer.  

  

Where free radicals come from?  

When oxygen is metabolised (called oxidation), it creates free radicals.   

Free radicals are naturally produced. Oxidation happens everyday in our normal metabolic processes and our exposure to environment like tobacco, smoke and radiation. Breathing, eating, going out in the sun all contribute to the process of oxidation.  

Oxidation can be accelerated by stress, cigarette smoking, sunlight, pollution things that people put into their bodies such as alcohol, unhealthy foods and other factors.    

Free radicals are very unstable molecules that can freely react with and destroy healthy cells, leading to cell dysfunction. Free radicals are believed to play a role in cancer, heart, eye, neurological and other diseases because they can bind to and alter the structure of DNA (genetic material) thus leading to mutations and eventually to cancer. 

  

The effects of free radicals  

• Some of the degenerative conditions caused by free radicals include: 
• speeding up of the ageing process 
• various forms of  cancers 
• Increased risk of heart disease, since free radicals encourage low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL – bad cholesterol) to adhere to artery walls. 
• Damage to nerve cells in the brain like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease, 
• decline of the immune system 
• Deterioration of the eye lens, cataracts which lead to blindness (Age-related macular degeneration - AMD) 
• Inflammation of the joints (arthritis) 

Etc. 

Benefits of antioxidants   

Preventing oxidation process, we will live longer healthily and look younger. Antioxidants help reduce or eliminate the risk of certain illnesses, lower risk for infection, cancer and also improve our immune body system. 

  

Sources of antioxidants  

Because oxidation happens naturally by our metabolism and environmental exposure, consumption of antioxidants must to maintain health. Our body has some defense mechanism to against free radicals oxidation. The body can produce some antioxidants like glutathione, lipoic acid, and CoQ10 in a small extent and these antioxidants level decline with age and studies found that these our own antioxidants become less and less effective with aging. Our body does not manufacture antioxidants much, we can have antioxidants only in the diet.  

Antioxidants are found in certain foods. These include fruits and vegetables, nuts, grains, and some meats, poultry and fish. The most common antioxidants are the vitamins A, C, E and beta-carotene. These nutrients are commonly found in fruits and vegetables, those with the strong colors being healthier such as  pumpkin, mangoes,  carrots, orange tomatoes and spinach. Additional antioxidants are found in grapes, wine, selenium, minerals copper and zinc. Flavonoids consist of a large family of antioxidant compounds found in fruits and vegetables such as catechins from green tea, genistein from soy, anthocyanins from cranberries etc.  

Eating raw fruits and raw vegetables rather than cooked, gives us the highest concentration and best absorption of antioxidants. (Note: except for carrot and tomatoes, both cooked will give more benefits than raw) Dietary supplements are another solution for those do not consume enough antioxidant-producing foods.  

A recent review of current literature suggests that fruits and vegetables in combination have synergistic effects on antioxidant activities leading to greater reduction in risk of chronic disease, specifically for cancer and heart disease.

  

The American Cancer Society suggests five daily serves of fruit and vegetables. One serve is a medium-sized piece of fruit or a half-cup of vegetables. 

  

Vitamin E : d-alpha tocopherol. A fat soluble vitamin found in nuts, seeds, vegetable and fish oils, whole grains especially. wheat germ, fortified cereals, and apricots.  

Vitamin C : ascorbic acid. A water soluble vitamin foundt in citrus fruits, green peppers, cabbage, spinach, broccoli, kale, cantaloupe, kiwi, and strawberries.  

Beta-carotene : a precursor to vitamin A (retinol) found in egg yolk, milk, butter, spinach, carrots, squash, broccoli, tomato, cantaloupe, peaches, and grains. Beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A within the body.   

EGCG  in green tea, the most powerful antioxidant - yet discovered. EGCG is at least 100 times more effective than vitamin C and 25 times than vitamin E.