Antioxidants: Our Best Friends

To look fit and young, your lifestyle must be especially careful, controlling not only the physical activity, but also toxic habits and diet quality. For that reason, it is essential to add antioxidants to your diet.

Antioxidants are nothing more than molecules or substances that neutralize the effect of oxygen free radicals. That is, antioxidants reduce or prevent oxidative stress in the body, which can give rise to harmful effects on the health of the body. Therefore, Antioxidants equal more health and youth.

Also, antioxidants prevent cellular aging that not only damages the functioning of our body but also, makes us older. If you want to avoid the oxidative stress of the skin, gain health and youth, it is best to add antioxidants to your diet or contribute to what you eat to produce these wonderful substances in the body.

Naturally free radicals of oxygen are produced in our body that need to be neutralized by antioxidants so as not to produce an imbalance that affects the functioning of each cell. Also, there are situations that increase the production of these substances that can cause oxidative stress. We can notice those situations when doing intense exercise, smoking, diseases such as infections, diets with lots of fat, environmental pollution, among others. Thus, those people who are exposed to these factors, are the ones who need more antioxidants.

In the presence of many free radicals and oxidative stress, all the cells of the body are affected, affecting cardiovascular health, jeopardizing the body at greater risk of atherosclerosis. Also our hair can be affected losing glitter and drying progressively.

So if we want to look good, young and fit, we must battle against free radicals of oxygen adding antioxidants to the daily diet.

How to add antioxidants to your diet

With some proper food and beverages we can get the necessary antioxidants to take care of our skin, hair, and the inner workings of the body:

Tea: there are some antioxidant infusions such as black tea, gree tea blueberry tea, and others herbal teas. Nowadays, there are new forms of tea. Matcha, for instance, is an organic powder presentation that is ten fold richer in antioxidands and vitamins. Many mindset and wellness coaches advocate Matcha green tea benefits for both physical and spiritual harmony.

Freshly squeezed natural juices: a commercial orange juice will not be the same as a freshly prepared juice at home, since the latter will be loaded with vitamin C which has a strong antioxidant action.

Blue fish: salmon, tuna, sardines, anchovies or other fatty fish are concentrated in omega 3 that has antioxidant function which offers coenzyme Q10, a strong antioxidant in the organism.

Seeds and nuts: a handful of walnuts daily load your diet with antioxidants, adding vitamin E and other more potent antioxidants. We can also consume almonds, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, or other seeds and nuts.

Red wine: a single glass of red wine every day will help us to take advantage of the benefits of polyphenols and anthocyanins. Red wine has antioxidant catechins.

Red fruits: grapes, strawberries, gooseberries, raspberries, pomegranates and blueberries are concentrated sources of polyphenols. In addition, many of them contain lots of vitamin C.

Olive oil: To season your dishes take advantage of the virtues of olive oil that also has polyphenols, unsaturated fats and vitamin E.

Fresh and skinned fruits and vegetables: do not remove the skin from the apple that is responsible for its benefits nor remove the skin from the grape that is where it concentrates antioxidant resveratrol. Fruits and vegetables like the lycopene-rich tomato, Guava, papaya, kiwi or spinach have highly antioxidant concentration.