A colorful and varied diet may have something more than taste behind it. It has antioxidant nutrition. Antioxidant is an encompassing term for vitamins, minerals, polyphenols and carotenoids that shield the body from free radical damage. Well known antioxidants include Vitamins A, E, C and the mineral selenium. Beta-carotene, lutein and lycopene are carotenoids and they contain high levels of antioxidants. They give many fruits and vegetables like pumpkins and carrots, their color. Lutein is important for eyesight and is found in green leafy vegetables. Lycopene colors fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, red. A colorful diet is a healthy diet with great nutritional value.

So why are they called antioxidants? The name represents the mechanism by which they help prevent disease. In humans, a small but significant percentage of oxygen molecules in the body will become electrically charged due to natural cellular activity and/or exposure to environmental factors like tobacco smoke and radiation. The oxygen molecule becomes a “free radical” as it undergoes this process of oxidation. Free radicals are highly reactive as they try to steal electrons from other molecules, including DNA and cellular membranes. This chain reaction of free radicals can damage cells, which may play a role in the development of certain conditions like heart disease and cancer. Antioxidants, however, stop the chain-reaction by giving up electrons and neutralizing free radicals so that they cannot induce any more oxidative damage.

Some studies have shown the link between many degenerative diseases associated with aging and free radicals. Since antioxidant nutrition stops the chain-reaction of oxidation, antioxidants may be effective in treating and reducing the incidences of cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, immune dysfunction, stroke, cataracts, cancer, cardiovascular disease and macular degeneration.

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