Foods & Antioxidants

What are they?

ANTIOXIDANTS are substances that have health enhancing effects on our bodies, but to understand how, firstly we need to understand their natural enemy and the effects they can have on the body.

Free radicals are potentially harmful chemicals that inhabit the body. Some are generated naturally during normal metabolic function. Exposure to pollutants such as UV radiation (the sun), cigarette smoke, and excessive alcohol intake can cause even more free radicals. These free radicals can cause oxidative damage to the cells in the body, which in turn can interfere with their normal function.

ANTIOXIDANTS are substances or nutrients that occur naturally in foods. They are the natural enemy of oxygen free radicals given they' re capable of slowing or preventing oxidation of the cells. Antioxidants act as free radical scavengers to prevent and repair damage caused by these free radicals. Antioxidants may also have a beneficial effect on the immune system, thereby lowering the risk of infection.

To determine their antioxidant capacity foods are ORAC tested.

Where are they?

ANTIOXIDANTS are found in the food we eat. It is considered best to eat a wide and colourful range of fruits, berries and vegetables to capture as many of the benefits antioxidants provide as possible.

The most commonly known antioxidants are:

Vitamin A & Carotenoids, found in: carrots, squash, broccoli, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, kale, collards, cantaloupe, peaches and apricots.

Vitamin C, found in: citrus fruits like oranges, capsicum, broccoli, green leafy vegetables like spinach, strawberries and tomatoes.

Vitamin E, found in: nuts, seeds, whole grains, green leafy vegetables like spinach, vegetable oil and liver oil.

Selenium, found in: Fish, shellfish, red meet, grains, eggs, chicken and garlic.

Some other sources of antioxidants:

Flavonoids / polyphenols, found in: soy, red wine, blueberries, purple grapes, pomegranate, cranberries, tea.

Lycopene, found in: tomato and tomato products, pink grapefruit, watermelon.

Lutein, found in: dark green vegetables such as kale, broccoli, kiwi fruit, Brussels sprouts and spinach.

The Test Method

Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity, or ORAC, is the method for testing and measuring the antioxidant capacity of various foods.

HERRON Daily Fruits & Berries and HERRON Daily Vegetables supplements have both been ORAC tested to determine their antioxidant capacity.