Antioxidants: Your Body’s Health Warriors
You may have seen TV commercials and read advertising headlines about the power of antioxidants—nutrients that act as disease fighters in the body. But before you load up on special drinks or supplements that claim to hold the power of antioxidants, realize that these nutrients can be consumed best by eating an overall healthy diet.
Antioxidants include vitamins C and E, carotenoids such as beta-carotene, and the mineral selenium, as well as many different phytonutrients, notably polyphenols. Antioxidants get their name because they scavenge natural (but unhealthy) byproducts of the body’s use of oxygen, called “free radicals.” Antioxidants reduce “oxidative stress” and the damage to cellular DNA believed to contribute to disease.
Research has shown that antioxidants are beneficial for:
- Reducing risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease
- Improving sleep
- Lowering diabetes risk
- Helping keep your skin supple
- Helping fight cancer and reducing risk of cancer
- Supporting healthy blood pressure
- Better eye health
- Improving weight management
- Reducing inflammation linked to cognitive disorders (such as Alzheimer’s disease)
- Reducing risk of arthritis
“Consuming a wide variety of whole, minimally processed foods is your best approach to getting adequate antioxidants,” advises Rachel Lustgarten, a registered dietitian at Weill Cornell Medicine. “Fruits and vegetables are an easily accessible way to get the most antioxidant bang for your buck. Look for different-colored produce to meet your dietary needs, from berries to oranges (a great choice in the winter months) and dark leafy greens like spinach and kale.”
In addition to fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, and nuts—especially walnuts—are excellent sources of antioxidants, Lustgarten says.
Some observational studies have linked antioxidants with lower risk of cardiovascular disease and some cancers. And laboratory tests have shown that
antioxidants may slow or possibly prevent cancer development, according to the National Cancer Institute. For
instance, higher dietary intake of vitamins C and E and of the micronutrient selenium has been linked to a sharply lower risk of pancreatic cancer. And a diet rich in antioxidants, especially from fruits and vegetables, is associated with a reduced risk of stroke.
The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) found that a high-dose combination of vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, and zinc reduced the risk of vision loss from age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness among older people. Other research has suggested a role for vitamin E supplementation among the elderly to protect against respiratory
infections and to boost the immune system.
Why Food Is Your Best Source
Other than the positive vitamin E results above, supplements, for the most part, have provided disappointing results in research testing.
“Numerous studies have shown that antioxidants in pill form do not confer health benefits such as the prevention of chronic diseases and decreased mortality,” says Lustgarten. In fact, “overconsumption of certain nutrients, as is seen in some antioxidant supplement formulations, can have negative health consequences.”
One JAMA study stated that these supplements were associated with an increased mortality risk. In another study published in JAMA, a large trial of supplemental vitamin E and selenium tested against prostate cancer was halted over worries that the treatments might do more harm than good. Of note: Smokers should avoid beta-carotene supplements, which can increase lung-cancer risk.
Recent findings about supplements, reviewed in the June 2018 Journal of the American College of Cardiology, reported no benefit in cardiovascular disease outcomes and in all-cause mortality from supplements of vitamin C, beta-carotene, or selenium, among others, supporting the point that food is your best source for antioxidants.
HIGH-ANTIOXIDANT FOODS
For all-around good health, consume foods high in antioxidants. For vitamin C, choose citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwifruits, bell peppers, and broccoli. Foods high in vitamin E include wheat germ, seeds, nuts, and vegetable oils.
Brazil nuts and fish contain selenium. Carotenoids are abundant in carrots and other orange-colored foods, such as cantaloupe, peaches, apricots, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin.
Berries and grapes are excellent sources of polyphenols. Eating fruits such as apples, pears, and plums with the skin on, in which polyphenols are most concentrated, is the best way to get the most antioxidants.
Coffee and tea also are excellent sources of polyphenols.
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