Advertisement
Antioxidants pose no risk to your health, only rewards
Antioxidants are one of those things you hear a lot about. Whether it’s from a healthcare provider or in advertising, there’s no getting around all the chatter about antioxidants and how important they are.
Advertisement
Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy
But what are antioxidants? And why are they so important? To get to the bottom of all the buzz, we spoke with registered dietitian Nicole Hopsecger, RD, LD.
“Antioxidants are naturally occurring chemicals in foods that can serve as a defense against free radicals,” explains Hopsecger. “Free radicals are normal byproducts of metabolism that occur in our bodies or can be a result of environmental factors, like air pollution and smoke.”
The primary benefit of antioxidants is their ability to safely react with free radicals before damage can be done on a cellular level. Basically, “Antioxidants fight free radicals,” she says.
“Free radicals can damage the body’s cells by changing a cell’s DNA, or it can alter a cell’s membrane,” she explains. “This interaction between free radicals and the body is called oxidative stress, which is often thought to be what contributes to the increased risk of developing chronic disease.”
Hopsecger says that while fighting free radicals is the primary benefit of antioxidants, there is a secondary benefit.
“Indirectly, antioxidants help reduce the risk of chronic disease development because they negate those free radicals from causing havoc to our cells.”
While our bodies naturally produce some antioxidants, certain foods are the best way to ensure you’re getting enough antioxidants.
Advertisement
Some examples of antioxidants and the foods (and vitamin sources) in which you can find them, according to Hopsecger, include:
Like many healthcare providers, Hopsecger recommends a “rainbow diet” to ensure you’re getting all the necessary nutrients your body needs.
A rainbow diet means eating fruit and vegetables of different colors like green (broccoli or spinach), red (tomatoes or strawberries), orange (carrots or oranges) and yellow (bell peppers or banana). This ensures you consume a diverse range of vitamins, nutrients and, yes, antioxidants.
While antioxidants are very good for your health, there are misconceptions about them and confusion on how best to make them part of your diet.
“We can’t rely on any single antioxidant or nutrient to do all the work,” Hopsecger says. “We need to get a variety of those to make sure we stay healthy and the best way to do that is through a healthy, balanced and varied diet.”
Each antioxidant behaves differently in our body, and no antioxidant can do all the work of several different ones. On a similar note, she adds that the idea of a “superfood” that can supply a higher level of nutrients than others is a bit of a misnomer.
“Superfoods tend to be tied more to a marketing trend,” she explains, noting that both kale and avocados have experienced booms in popularity in recent years. And while those foods are healthy, it’s more important to make sure you’re getting a variety of foods in your diet — like that rainbow diet — than focusing on any one particular food too much.
While getting antioxidants into your body is good, doing so through supplements may not be. “Studies are inconclusive about whether or not supplements actually help, or in some cases, cause more harm than benefit,” Hopsecger shares.
“Not only can these interact with medications you’re already taking, but you’re also not getting a well-rounded variety, particularly if you’re mega-dosing a single one,” she continues. “And those single antioxidants may not work as well without the presence of other nutrients you get more naturally through a well-balanced diet.”
It’s always best to get your vitamins and minerals, including antioxidants, through food.
Advertisement
Learn more about our editorial process.
Advertisement
The concept of morning protein and exercise isn’t backed by research but may have some potential benefits
There’s no limit on the amount you should have each day, but experts are focused on saturated fat
This healthy oil is packed with nutrients and great for roasting, drizzling and even baking
A diet built around fruits, vegetables and healthy fats is a clear 20/20 benefit for your vision
Your relationships with food, physical fitness, social interactions and advance planning desires may need to be modified
After a cholecystectomy, your body may temporarily have a hard time processing fat and fiber
There’s no proven way to remove the natural stimulant from your body, but you can counter its effects by staying hydrated and getting in some movement
Opt for soft foods or liquids that are rich in protein, calories and vitamins
When you get bogged down with mental tasks, you can experience mood changes, sleeplessness and more
You can alternate these OTCs to help with pain management and fever reduction
Non-exercise activity thermogenesis is all the activity we do that’s not technically exercise but is still important to your health and well-being