The important role of antioxidants in food

Antioxidants in food can prevent the oxidation of various food ingredients. Food oxidation can lead to undesirable browning and flavor changes. Antioxidants react with oxygen, thus offsetting negative effects. Examples: Vitamin C (E300) and vitamin E (E308) . In humans, antioxidants protect major cellular substances by neutralizing the harmful effects of“Free radicals”, natural by-products of cellular metabolism. Oxygen is metabolized or burned by the body to form free radicals. They are transported by cells, destroying other molecular structures and causing cell damage. Such cellular damage is thought to be responsible for aging and various health problems. The antioxidants active in the body are vitamins A, C, E and polyphenols (Phytochemical, found in tea and fruit) .

Vitamins C, E and beta-carotene (the precursor of vitamin A) and the mineral selenium have antioxidant properties. This means that they protect vulnerable proteins and lipids in the cell membrane, which play an important role in blocking highly reactive oxygen species (free radicals) . Free radicals are molecules with one or more unpaired electrons. Antioxidants can scavenge these free radicals and react quickly with other molecules. The initial chain reaction is called oxidation. Free radicals are the normal products of metabolic processes, and the body produces its own antioxidants to keep them in balance. However, stress, aging and environmental conditions, such as air pollution and smoking, can increase the amount of free radicals in the body, which can upset the balance. Highly unstable free radicals can damage healthy DNA and are associated with changes associated with aging (such as the deterioration of age spots, a leading cause of blindness in older people) , as well as a range of diseases, such as cancer, heart disease and stroke. Studies have shown that natural antioxidants in fruits and vegetables have a protective effect. For example, vitamin E and beta-carotene protect cell membranes; vitamin C expels free radicals from cells.