What are Antioxidants; Know Their Types and Sources - Chemosmart

Kadam Dipali
By -


Antioxidants



                      All of you listened about the word Antioxidants.  However, some people know what they are and how they acts. In this article we can trying to tells about everything you necessary to know related about the  antioxidants. In this article, let's know about what are Antioxidants? How do Antioxidants work? Types of Antioxidants, list of Antioxidants etc.

What is Antioxidants-


Common types of Antioxidants


               Antioxidants are molecules that stopped reaction called as oxidation. Antioxidants source could be man- prepared or it's may be natural also. Oxidation created free radicals in the body that causes damage to the cells and distrubs body work or function.  

            In simple term, Antioxidants are chemical compounds- that fight free radicals in our body. Free radicals are compounds that can Created harmful if their levels become too maximun in our body. They are joined to several illnesses, containing diabetes, heart disease, and cancer etc. Our body has its self antioxidant defenses to keep free radicals in check.

             Antioxidants are also occurs in food, specially in fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based, all foods. Many vitamins, such as vitamins E and C, are better antioxidants. Antioxidant preservatives also play a crucial role in food production by enhancing shelf life.

How free radicals function:

                   Free radicals are regularly being produced in our body. Except antioxidants, free radicals would create serious harm very lastly, usually occuring in death. However, free radicals also acts as necessary functions or work that are required for health. However, free radicals also acts necessary processes that are required for health. 

Trusted SourceFor example, your immune cells use free radicals to fight infections 

Trusted Sour

               As a result, our body requires to prevent a certain balance of free radicals and antioxidants.

Trusted Source For example, your immune cells use free radicals to fight infections 

Trusted SourcAs a result, your body needs to maintain a certain balance of free radicals and antioxidants.

              When free radicals outnumber antioxidants, it can occurs to a state is known as oxidative stress. Prolonged oxidative stress can impacts on our DNA and other necessary molecules in our body. Sometimes it even occurs to cell death. Damage to our DNA enhances our risk of cancer, and some researcher have theorized that it plays a pivotal role in the aging techniques. 

Trusted Sourc
Trusted Sour

                     Many members lifestyle,  stress, and environmental factors are described to promote excessive free radical preparation and oxidative stress containing:

  1. Air pollution.
  2. Cigarette smoke.
  3. Alcohol consumption.
  4. Toxins.
  5. Maximun blood sugar levels. Source
    Trusted Sourc
  6. Maximun consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Trusted Source
  7. Radiation, containing excessive sunbathing.
  8. Bacterial, fungal, or viral infections etc.
  9. More absorption of iron, magnesium, copper, or zinc. Trusted Source
  10. Too much or too little oxygen in our body. Trusted Source
  11. Intense and prolonged exercise, that produced tissue damage. Trusted Sourc
  12. Excessive intake of antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E.Sourc
  13. Antioxidant deficiency.

Trusted Source

                  Prolonged oxidative stress produced to an enhanced risk of negative health outcomes, such as cardiovascular disease and certain kinds of cancer.


             Free radicals are maximun unstable molecules. They are produced naturally in the body when the body works natural bodily functions such as transferring food into energy. The body is helpness to getting exposed to free radicals while smoking, being in the sunlight for long hours, or air pollution. Free radicals can produce oxidative damages. Antioxidants controlls or slow the damages produced by oxidative stress in cells. Accumulation of free radicals in the body could lead to many health-related issues such as cancer, Perkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, etc.  

Types of Antioxidants :

              Antioxidants are majorly of three types. They are known as  primary, secondary, and tertiary antioxidants. 

Primary Antioxidants:

         Primary antioxidants are also known important antioxidants. They are naturally caused by our body and are found in the form of enzymes. They help in controlling the body from oxidative damages and inflammatory diseases.  

Secondary Antioxidants:

              Secondary antioxidants are majorly responsible for delay oxidation reactions in the body. They act to transfer hydroperoxides into non-radical, nonreactive, and stable components. Hyperoxides or superoxides are oxides that include large amounts of oxygen that occurs to oxidative stress. 

Tertiary Antioxidants :

                 Tertiary antioxidants works in repairing oxidized molecules in proteolytic enzymes or enzymes occurs in DNA. 


Antioxidants in foods:

Foods rich in antioxidants

            Antioxidants are necessary for the survival of totally living things. Our body produced its own antioxidants, such as the cellular antioxidant glutathione. Plants and animals, as well as all other forms of life, have their own defenses against free radicals and oxidative damage. Therefore, antioxidants are occurs in overall foods of plant and animal origin.


               However, several other non-essential antioxidants found in food. While they are not necessary for our body, they play an necessary role in general health.

            The health applications regarding with a diet rich in plants is at least partially due to the variety of antioxidants they required. Trusted SourcBerries, green tea, coffee, and dark chocolate are renowned for being good sources of antioxidants 

Trusted Sour

               According to few research, coffee is the single highest source of antioxidants in the Western diet, but this is partly because the average individual doesn’t consumes that several antioxidant-rich foods.Sourc
Trusted Source

              Meat products and fish also included antioxidants, but to a lesser extent than fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants can enhance the shelf life of both natural and processed foods. Therefore, they are regularly used as food additives.  Vitamins C is often added to processed foods to work as a preservative.
Trusted Sourc

Sources of Antioxidants :


Antioxidants sources


                   Antioxidants are available in a kinds of foods. Blueberry, Dark Chocolates, Oranged, Broccoli, strawberries, Grapes, Spinach, Beans, Beetroots, Kale, Sweet potatoes, and Carrots are few of the food that have a maximun content of antioxidants.