Importance Of Including Antioxidants In Your Diet

The best way to improve your overall health is through your diet.  Adding more foods with antioxidants to your meals can provide you with numerous health benefits. The sooner you can start consuming these antioxidant-rich foods, the better! That’s because Antioxidants help fight oxidation in our bodies. Much like the way the inside of an apple turns brown soon after it is cut in half, the oxidation process similarly affects our bodies, cell membranes, and other structures. The absorption of the oxidation creates unstable molecules called ‘free radicals.’ Our body needs some free radicals to function, but when we have an overload of them, over time it could cause damage. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, which may prevent some of the damage caused by oxidation.

Where are antioxidants found?

We can find antioxidants in vitamins and minerals in certain foods. These foods high in antioxidants are often referred to as “superfoods” or “functional food.” They are the following:

  • Vitamin A- Dairy products, eggs, liver. 

  • Vitamin C- Most fruits and vegetables like oranges, berries, and bell peppers. 

  • Vitamin E- Nuts and seeds, sunflower and other vegetable oils, and green, leafy vegetables.

  • Beta-carotene- Brightly colored fruits and vegetables

  • Lycopene- Pink and red fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes and watermelon.

  • Lutein- Green, leafy vegetables, corn, papaya, and oranges. 

  • Selenium- Rice corn, wheat, and other whole grains, as well as eggs, cheese, and legumes. 

It’s possible to obtain antioxidants from these foods, but it isn’t easy. It requires a lot of measurement on your part to make sure you’re getting the proper amount to nourish your body. The easier way is through QuiAri Products. QuiAri Shake and Energy already contain the recommended daily dose of antioxidants – and more! The antioxidants on QuiAri products come from the Maqui Berry, the world’s new #1 superfruit, and MaquiX®, a super-concentrated, proprietary extract of the Maqui Berry. 

Benefits of consuming antioxidants 

According to Better Health, consuming antioxidants at high levels in your diet may reduce the risk of diseases. Antioxidants eliminate free radicals from the body cells and prevent or reduce the damage caused by oxidation.

The positive effects of antioxidants on the human body continue to be studied, but below are some of the many benefits: 

  • They help with eye health. Antioxidants may help to lower your chances of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). If you already have AMD, antioxidants can help you keep more of your vision.

  • They could help your cardiovascular system health. Research showed that antioxidants may be responsible for lowering the risk of heart disease and stroke. 

  • They help in brain function. The brain is always at high risk of benign attack by free radicals because of the amount of oxygen the brain uses in daily functioning through naturally high metabolic oxidation. Antioxidants may help by naturally combating free radicals.

  • They can contribute to mental health improvement. Research has shown that oxidation stress is often related to anxiety and depression. However, this doesn’t mean that antioxidants can replace proper mental health medication. The fact you are taking care of your health and your lifestyle is what could lead to improvements in your mental health. 

  • They help reduce inflammation. Inflammation can come in a variety of symptoms such as headaches and joint and muscle pain. Antioxidants protect cells from damage, which in turn prevent those reflexive inflammatory responses from occurring at all. However, inflammation is not always a  negative thing. It has an important purpose for your body. It’s the process of your white blood cells protecting your body against infections such as bacteria. 

  • They support a healthy aging process. This means that antioxidants support a healthy aging process by improving memory and keeping your body protected, so you can be more agile and improve your overall health. 

  • They help skin health. Antioxidants help your skin from the inside out. They give extra protection to your skin and prevent inflammation, redness, puffiness, premature aging, and UV sun damage. 

  • They help improve gut health. Gut health potentially affects your body from head to toe. Scientists have found that antioxidants reduce intestinal oxidative stress levels, which provide a balanced and strong foundation for your gut health.