There are tons of buzzwords in the nutrition field, and “antioxidants” is definitely one of them. But what are antioxidants really, and how do they affect your body?
From ketchup to pomegranate juice, plenty of foods are known for containing antioxidants. You’ve probably heard those compounds can do a lot for your health—they’ve been touted as doing everything from preventing heart disease to cancer—but are they as helpful as people say they are?
Like many things in the nutrition field, there’s a lot to unpack regarding antioxidants. And, despite marketing claims singing their praises, they’re not exactly a panacea on your dinner plate. That doesn’t mean you should discount them, though: Antioxidants can bring a bunch of benefits with them.
From how exactly they work to how you should be taking them in (and how much), here’s what you need to know about antioxidants.
What are antioxidants?
Before talking about what an antioxidant is, it helps to understand what we mean by another wellness buzzword: “free radical.” Free radicals refer to any molecule in your body that contains an unpaired electron, which makes them very unstable and keeps them looking for other compounds to bind to. Free radicals can serve some important functions in the body, such as signaling between cells, but because they are so reactive, they can also cause damage to cells through a process called oxidative stress.
Your body generates free radicals during activities like digestion and vigorous exercise, and in response to things like UV light exposure, pollution, smoking, and certain diseases, Chwan-Li (Leslie) Shen, Ph.D., associate dean for research at Texas Tech University Health Sciences, tells SELF. It’s when free radicals are produced in excess that they can become problematic.
Antioxidants, on the other hand, can help keep these free radicals in check. Antioxidants are compounds—either made in your body or consumed from external sources—that help neutralize free radicals and other molecules in your body that can damage cells and tissues, Mahdi Garelnabi, Ph.D., an associate professor of biomedical and nutrition sciences at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, tells SELF. They do this through a variety of mechanisms, such as by lending an electron to a free radical to make it less reactive or by binding to a substance in a way that prevents further reactions.
By stabilizing these free radicals, antioxidants can also help your immune system function more efficiently and mitigate chronic inflammation, which is thought to be a driving force for many health problems, like cardiovascular disease and cancer. Antioxidants may also, through separate mechanisms, help repair DNA and cell membranes.
Where can you find antioxidants?
Your body makes some antioxidants on its own, but sometimes that’s not enough. “A lot of times, your body generates too many free radicals, and your body cannot handle it, so external antioxidant intake is important,” Dr. Shen says.
There are thousands of antioxidants, and they are not only present in highly hyped “superfoods.” You can find antioxidants in a broad range of foods—like fruits, vegetables, seafood, whole grains, and meats—as well as in supplement form.
Some antioxidants are essential vitamins that your body needs to function, while others are essential minerals. Examples of antioxidant vitamins include vitamin C (found in Brussels sprouts, red cabbage, and peppers), vitamin E (found in almonds, sunflower seeds, and olive oil), and vitamin A, which your body makes from beta carotene (found in collard greens, sweet potatoes, and cantaloupe). Examples of antioxidant minerals include selenium (found in Brazil nuts, pork, and turkey) and zinc (found in oysters, beef, and pumpkin seeds).