Antioxidants are certain, minerals phyto-chemicals(plant chemicals) herbs and enzymes that counteract the harmful effects of free radicals on the body. Thus to understand anti-oxidants and what they do, you must first understand free radicals.
As the cells burn food for energy they also burn oxygen a process that creates free radicals. Exposure to polluted air, chemicals, radiation, ultraviolet rays and tobacco smoke also results in the formation of free radicals. On the molecular level free radicals are unstable; they contain an unpaired electron that in an effort to pair up and stabilize the substance, will bind to and take away electrons from other substances, including healthy cells.
This damages cells and tissues and creates even more free radicals that may then attack other healthy cells. This results in oxidative damage to cells that can be compared to rust on a car. Free radicals also destroy and cause mutations in the body"s cells, which then become unable to absorb the nutrients for the cell to survive. This is called cell starvation, which results in an inability to fight off disease caused by free radicals.
