Antioxidants are compounds that can help to neutralise free radicals, which in turn help to keep your cells healthy and help maintain good cell DNA health. Without antioxidants, free radicals would cause serious harm to your health, eventually resulting in death.
Free radical damage is a form of ageing that occurs in your body when there are not enough antioxidants available to offset the damage caused by electron-stealing free radicals.
Free radicals can affect how our cells function and can change the expression of essential DNA instructions. High levels of free radicals can lead to inflammation and oxidative stress, which in turn can contribute to many common diseases such as:
- Accelerated ageing
- Autoimmune disease
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Asthma
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Fibromyalgia
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Parkinson’s disease
What are the different categories of antioxidants?
Antioxidants fall into two categories: enzymatic and non-enzymatic. Enzymatic antioxidants work by breaking down and removing free radicals. Non-enzymatic antioxidants work by interrupting free-radical chain reactions. The subcategories within these two categories are as follows:
What are the different types of antioxidants?
Let’s take a deeper look at some different types of antioxidants.
Anthocyanins
Anthocyanins are a class of antioxidants commonly referred to as flavonoids. These types of antioxidants are responsible for the red, purple and blue pigments found in certain foods.
What are the benefits?
Anthocyanin antioxidants help to support liver health and can help to combat gut-related health issues, such as diarrhoea. Anthocyanins are known to support healthy eyesight and can help boost your immune system, regulate hormones, decrease inflammation and strengthen your cell membranes and capillary permeability.
What foods contain anthocyanins?
- Berries
- Aubergines
- Red cabbage
- Black rice
- Black soybeans
- Raspberries
- Teas
Catechins
Catechins are a type of natural antioxidant that falls under the category of flavonoids. These types of antioxidants are frequently used in traditional herbal remedies.
What are the benefits?
Catechins have been known to help prevent cell death. This is because they are able to cross the blood-brain barrier, enter into the central nervous system and help regulate gene and protein expression in the neurons. This means that catechins can help lower cholesterol, regulate blood pressure, protect the cells from damage and, in turn, help protect the body from a wide range of diseases.
What foods contain catechins?
- Green tea
- Berries
- Cocoa
- Apples
- Kiwi
- Strawberries
- Prune juice
- Peaches
- Vinegar
- Barley grain
Coenzyme Q10
Our cells use Coenzyme Q10 for cell growth and maintenance. This type of antioxidant is used to help generate cell energy in the form of ATP. This type of energy is especially important when it comes to keeping your heart, liver and kidneys functioning properly.
What are the benefits?
Coenzyme Q10 is important for lowering inflammation, keeping your gums healthy, boosting your heart health, helping to prevent migraines and keeping your kidneys healthy.
What foods contain Coenzyme Q10?
- Oily fish such as salmon and tuna
- Meats such as liver, pork, beef and chicken
- Vegetables such as spinach and broccoli
- Fruits such as strawberries
- Lentils and legumes
- Whole grains
Coumaric Acid
Coumaric acid is a hydroxycinnamic acid that exists in all living organisms.
What are the benefits?
Coumaric acid helps lower inflammation, regulate hormones, strengthen the skeletal system, protect your neurons and increase brain efficiency.
What foods contain Coumaric Acid?
- Olives
- Corn
- Peanuts
- Tomatoes
- Carrots
- Garlic
- Barley grain
- Vinegar
- Basil
- Navy beans
Flavonoids
Flavonoids are plant compounds that are found in brightly coloured plants.
What are the benefits?
Flavonoids carry many health benefits. These benefits include helping to reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease, strengthening the immune system, regulating blood pressure and helping with cell health and energy production.
What foods contain flavonoids?
- Kale
- Dark chocolate
- Grapes
- Parsley
- Onions
- Red cabbage
- Berries
- Peaches
- Tomatoes
- Broccoli
- Tea
- Apples
- Red peppers
- Lemons
Phenols
Phenols are any compound within the hydroxyl group. These compounds are produced by plants and microorganisms.
What are the benefits?
Phenols are great antioxidants that stop harmful free radicals from reacting with the molecules in your body, helping to protect your DNA and your cells.
What foods contain phenols?
- Cloves
- Thyme
- Vanilla
- Milk
- Oranges
- Cocoa
- Red grapes
- Bananas
- Apples
- Peanuts
Phytoestrogens
Phytoestrogens occur naturally in plants and function in a similar way to oestrogen in our bodies.
What are the benefits?
Phytoestrogens are important for helping the body to regulate hormones. These types of antioxidants can help with hot flushes and prevent osteoporosis.
What foods contain phytoestrogens?
- Vegetables
- Legumes
- Fruits
- Soy
- Tea
- Liquorice root
- Carrots
Quercetin
Quercetin is a type of flavonoid responsible for plant pigment. Some use this type of antioxidant for medicinal purposes.
What are the benefits?
Quercetin helps with arthritis, bladder infections and allergies. Quercetin also helps to protect the body against damage from oxidants that contribute to heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s.
What foods contain Quercetin?
- Onions
- Green tea
- Apples
- Berries
- Ginkgo biloba
- St John’s wort
Selenium
Selenium is a natural mineral found in soil, water and some types of food.
What are the benefits?
Selenium is essential for maintaining a good metabolism, helping protect your cells and helping with asthma, dandruff and cancer.
What foods contain selenium?
- Grains
- Beef
- Poultry
- Fish
- Nuts
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is one of the safest, most effective vitamins.
What are the benefits?
Vitamin C is essential for collagen production, boosting the immune system, improving skin quality and helping fight heart disease and eye issues. It also boosts prenatal health.
What foods contain Vitamin C?
- Citrus fruit
- Tomatoes
- Kiwi
- Broccoli
- Strawberries
- Melon
Vitamin E
Vitamin E exists in eight different chemical forms. Each different chemical form has a different level of biological activity.
What are the benefits?
Vitamin E is essential for maintaining a good nervous system, preventing cell damage, facilitating organ function and lowering the risk of dementia, heart disease and cancer.
What foods contain Vitamin E?
- Palm oil
- Fish oil
- Meat
- Eggs
Zinc
Zinc is one of the most abundant trace minerals found in our body. As an essential nutrient, zinc is found in almost every cell. However, our bodies cannot naturally produce zinc. Because of this, we need to get zinc from our diets.
What are the benefits?
Zinc is essential for maintaining proper skin health, good digestion and wound healing, helping our bodies grow and develop and boosting the immune system. It also plays an important role in gene expression, protein and DNA synthesis and enzymatic reactions.
What foods contain Zinc?
- Fish
- Meat
- Eggs
- Dairy
- Shellfish
When should you take antioxidants?
Not everyone needs to be taking antioxidants in supplement form all the time. However, there are times and situations when free radicals can outweigh antioxidants in your system, and this can lead to a state of oxidative stress. Here are 20 situations when taking additional antioxidants in supplemental form may be helpful:
- Acute injury
- If you’re feeling stressed or under pressure
- Overeating
- Undereating
- Blood sugar imbalance
- If you’re dehydrated
- Persistent illness or chronic infection
- Chemical exposure
- Excessive exposure to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or other forms of EMF
- If you take any type of medication
- Vaccines, because they unnaturally stimulate your immune system
- Eating foods you are intolerant to
- Persistent fatigue or feeling tired all the time
- Vision or sight problems
- To aid recovery after intense exercise
- Sun exposure. It’s said that the higher the number of antioxidants in your skin, the less you will burn.
- If you suffer from persistent headaches
- If you have sore muscles
- If you’re detoxing and stimulating phase one detoxification too much
- If you are thinking too much, such as studying, exam pressure or worry