antioxidants and radicals: eat fruit and vegetables!

[gzhpcu]

A friend of mine just made me aware of antioxidants and radicals and the effect on health:

An antioxidant is a molecule capable of slowing or preventing the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons from a substance to an oxidizing agent. Oxidation reactions can produce free radicals, which start chain reactions that damage cells. Antioxidants terminate these chain reactions by removing free radical intermediates, and inhibit other oxidation reactions by being oxidized themselves....

Antioxidants can cancel out the cell-damaging effects of free radicals. Furthermore, people who eat fruits and vegetables, which are good sources of antioxidants, have a lower risk of heart disease and some neurological diseases, and there is evidence that some types of vegetables, and fruits in general, probably protect against a number of cancers.

[HenrikOlsen]

I though you where about to advocate cannibalism:)

[gzhpcu]

Eeer... maybe it is better to stick to chocolates instead...

New research published in the Medical Journal "Lancet", shows that eating chocolate could prevent cancer and heart disease and contrary to popular belief also fights tooth decay.
Research conducted by scientist from Holland's National Institute of Public Health and Environment shows that chocolates contain antioxidants called Catechins and Phenols. These antioxidants could prevent heart diseases and cancer.

source:http://www.manbir-online.com/nutrition/chocolate.htm

[geonuc]

I need to eat more fruit; vegetables are already a huge part of my diet. Sometimes I wonder about the antioxidant thing. Whether it's hype or not.

[Euniculus]

Antioxidants obtained from food are far superior to those obtained from supplements.

Bottom line is supplements are overhyped and shown not to be helpful in most cases.

[megrfl]

Eat broccoli, beets, and blueberries! :D

[mahesh]

I have a great Bond with Broccoli, megr

[geonuc]

I have a great Bond with Broccoli, megr
Nice one, mahesh! :dance:

[megrfl]

I have a great Bond with Broccoli, megr

<off topic> My Mum just bought be "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" for Valentine's Day. She wants me to get over my fear of the movie (I think she feels responsible) :) We just discussed Albert R. Broccoli on Saturday, otherwise, I wouldn't have gotten that. :)

This is the truth... Broccoli is like candy to me. Fresh, steamed, with a drizzle of butter. Always have loved my veggies, not much of a fruit eater.

[geonuc]

Fresh, steamed, with a drizzle of butter.
I prefer a drizzle of soy sauce. :)

[nauthiz]

According to the American Heart Association (whose labyrinthine website I'm too lazy to search through for a link right now), high levels of antioxidant consumption is associated with elevated risk of heart disease. They suggest that one should stay away from supplements altogether.

[mike alexander]

Antioxidants obtained from food are far superior to those obtained from supplements.

Bottom line is supplements are overhyped and shown not to be helpful in most cases.

Why are antioxidants obtained from food superior to antioxidants obtained from supplements?

[Robinson]

Why are antioxidants obtained from food superior to antioxidants obtained from supplements?

One current theory (there are many) is that there are many many substances in fruit that don't appear in synthetic supplements, all of which are observed to act together to provide benefits that isolated nutrients can't.

[HenrikOlsen]

Why are antioxidants obtained from food superior to antioxidants obtained from supplements?
Knee-jerk natural good, artificial bad?

[mahesh]

According to the American Heart Association (whose labyrinthine website I'm too lazy to search through for a link right now), high levels of antioxidant consumption is associated with elevated risk of heart disease. They suggest that one should stay away from supplements altogether.

i think jokergirl was talking about it the other day, somewhere..nauthiz!
saying something similar if i recall...can't remember which thread it is...

megr, geo..i see where you both are butter/soy sauce-wise...
i love it all....

chitty bang bang...chitty chitty bang bang...oh what fun!...(why / what do you fear ..in that film?)
must dig it up and have another look-see...Flynn and i and mommy watched a few times when we first got it, a couple of years ago...he was so delighted, excited...as we were i suppose, in our days...

[Ronald Brak]

Knee-jerk natural good, artificial bad?

Anitoxidants can kill you, if you eat enough of them, but it is very hard to overdose from eating common fruits and vegetables.

[mugaliens]

Don't know, as most supplements are merely food derivatives.

Anitoxidants can kill you, if you eat enough of them, but it is very hard to overdose from eating common fruits and vegetables.

Gotta watch out for that dihydrogen monoxide, though... Boy! Too much of that stuff'l kill you deader than a doornail.

[HenrikOlsen]

At least if you defined them as those that are grown because they aren't poisonous, rather that the fruits and vegetables you'll find in the wild.

[mike alexander]

Don't know, as most supplements are merely food derivatives.

There may be a point here. Look where the economy has gotten dealing in derivatives.

[megrfl]

chitty bang bang...chitty chitty bang bang...oh what fun!...(why / what do you fear ..in that film?)
must dig it up and have another look-see...Flynn and i and mommy watched a few times when we first got it, a couple of years ago...he was so delighted, excited...as we were i suppose, in our days...

I PMed you. :)

[megrfl]

Don't know, as most supplements are merely food derivatives.



Gotta watch out for that dihydrogen monoxide, though... Boy! Too much of that stuff'l kill you deader than a doornail.

Yes, I've heard that. I think on this very forum. :)

[Ronald Brak]

You can buy vitamin E in capsules. That's toxic stuff.

Mind you, not enough of it will kill you.

[mugaliens]

Unless PHYSORG was bought out by Folgers, you might be interested to know that coffee is the number one source of antioxidents (http://www.physorg.com/news6067.html).

How about a second cup?

[mugaliens]

Yes, I've heard that. I think on this very forum. :)

Yeah, well... But only by drinking, immersion, or inhalation...

[Robinson]

To be more specific, Coffee is the number one source of antioxidants in the U.S. diet.

Not the number one source worldwide, or the best source.

[nauthiz]

You can buy vitamin E in capsules. That's toxic stuff.

Mind you, not enough of it will kill you.

Not unlike oxygen, really.

[Euniculus]

Knee-jerk natural good, artificial bad?

Nope, not at all.

I deal with drugs on a daily basis, most of which are synthetic. In many cases, there is better living through chemistry.

Supplements are full of fillers and the bioavailability of the active compound is questionable. They are not regulated by the FDA and are not held to the same good manfacturing practices. Variability between brands or even lots can be as much as 40%.

If one feels the need for supplements, try to find ones that follow the German standards for manufacturing. Germany has been using herbals and supplements for many years and I believe some are paid for by the healthcare system. Their standards are the strictest and most regulated.

[jokergirl]

Gahhhh! Not again.

I already posted about it in the Valentine's thread:

http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/297/8/842

While yes, antioxidants in the body are good, nothing yet has proven ingesting more antioxidants will increase the amount of antioxidants your body retains.

Doesn't mean you can go back to eating unhealthy stuff now, though :D

;)

[geonuc]

Gahhhh! Not again.

I already posted about it in the Valentine's thread:

http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/297/8/842

While yes, antioxidants in the body are good, nothing yet has proven ingesting more antioxidants will increase the amount of antioxidants your body retains.

Doesn't mean you can go back to eating unhealthy stuff now, though :D

;)
Not again? Have you been posting antioxidant links around the board with regularity, then? ;)

Your link shows an increased mortality with supplements, not that antioxidants levels in the body aren't increased when you take supplements.

[mugaliens]

Well, you can either take a bunch of antioxidents, or just lower the oxygen.

Either way...

[Robinson]

No, lower oxygen means your body will increase the ability to use it, and you end up with the same amount of oxygen in the cells. This occurs with people who live at high altitudes. It won't save you.