Inflammation, caused by free radicals, is cited as the underlying cause of over 80 inflammatory diseases. The answer to stopping inflammation lies in getting enough antioxidants to stop free radical reactions. Where can we get these antioxidants? You may have guessed in, it a whole food plant based diet.
Lisa Murray RDN, LD provides a well written article about antioxidants (used to be referred to as ORAC) and which foods rate the highest.
Oxidation is a chemical reaction that can produce oxidizing agents called free radicals. Oxidation is a necessary part of metabolizing food into energy and free radicals are a natural byproduct of our metabolic processes.
Fortunately, a healthy diet provides us with antioxidants in our food. These antioxidants will find and bind free radicals so they don’t build up and cause cellular damage. Carotenoids, polyphenols and vitamin C are abundant in fruits and vegetables and are all antioxidants. Vitamin E, zinc, selenium and a host of other nutrients and phytochemicals are also present in a varied and healthy diet.
This was all designed so our bodies would maintain oxidative balance – as long as we live in a pristine environment, drinking pure uncontaminated water, breathing unpolluted air, and consuming only the untainted natural harvest provided by Mother Nature.
While ideal, this scenario is far from realistic as drinking, eating and breathing chemical pollutants have become part of our daily lives. It’s really not what Mother Nature intended – so what do we do about it?
Read the full article here.
