{"id":261,"date":"2019-06-25T16:01:44","date_gmt":"2019-06-25T20:01:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/nutr1100\/chapter\/antioxidants\/"},"modified":"2019-07-21T21:10:29","modified_gmt":"2019-07-22T01:10:29","slug":"antioxidants","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/nutr1100\/chapter\/antioxidants\/","title":{"raw":"Antioxidants","rendered":"Antioxidants"},"content":{"raw":"
\r\n\r\nThe market is flooded with advertisements for \u201csuper antioxidant\u201d supplements teeming with molecules that block free radical production, stimulate the immune system, prevent cancer, and reduce the signs of aging. Based on the antioxidant-supplement industry\u2019s success, the general public appears to believe these health claims. However, these claims are not backed by scientific evidence; rather, there is some evidence suggesting supplements can actually cause harm. While scientists have found evidence supporting the consumption of antioxidant-rich foods as a method of reducing the risk of chronic disease, there is no \u201cmiracle cure\u201d; no pill or supplement alone can provide the same benefits as a healthy diet. Remember, it is the combination of antioxidants and other nutrients in healthy foods that is beneficial. In this section, we will review how particular antioxidants function in the body, learn how they work together to protect the body against free radicals, and explore the best nutrient-rich dietary sources of antioxidants.\u00a0One dietary source of antioxidants is vitamins. In our discussion of antioxidant vitamins, we will focus on vitamins E, C, and A.\r\n\r\nFigure 9.21 Antioxidants Role\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_260\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"540\"]\"\" Image by Allison Calabrese \/ CC BY 4.0<\/a>[\/caption]\r\n

Antioxidant Chemicals Obtained from the Diet<\/h1>\r\nThere are many different antioxidants in food, including selenium, which is one of the major antioxidants. However, the antioxidants you may be the most familiar with are vitamins. The \u201cbig three\u201d vitamin antioxidants are vitamins E, A, and C, although it may be that they are called the \u201cbig three\u201d only because they are the most studied.\r\n\r\nTable 9.32 Some Antioxidants Obtained from Diet and Their Related Functions\r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Antioxidant<\/td>\r\nFunctions Attributed to Antioxidant Capacity<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Vitamin A<\/td>\r\nProtects cellular membranes, prevents glutathione depletion, maintains free radical detoxifying enzyme systems, reduces inflammation<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Vitamin E<\/td>\r\nProtects cellular membranes, prevents glutathione depletion<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Vitamin C<\/td>\r\nProtects DNA, RNA, proteins, and lipids, aids in regenerating vitamin E<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Carotenoids<\/td>\r\nFree radical scavengers<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Lipoic acid<\/td>\r\nFree radical scavenger, aids in regeneration of vitamins C and E<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Phenolic acids<\/td>\r\nFree radical scavengers, protect cellular membranes<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"
\n

The market is flooded with advertisements for \u201csuper antioxidant\u201d supplements teeming with molecules that block free radical production, stimulate the immune system, prevent cancer, and reduce the signs of aging. Based on the antioxidant-supplement industry\u2019s success, the general public appears to believe these health claims. However, these claims are not backed by scientific evidence; rather, there is some evidence suggesting supplements can actually cause harm. While scientists have found evidence supporting the consumption of antioxidant-rich foods as a method of reducing the risk of chronic disease, there is no \u201cmiracle cure\u201d; no pill or supplement alone can provide the same benefits as a healthy diet. Remember, it is the combination of antioxidants and other nutrients in healthy foods that is beneficial. In this section, we will review how particular antioxidants function in the body, learn how they work together to protect the body against free radicals, and explore the best nutrient-rich dietary sources of antioxidants.\u00a0One dietary source of antioxidants is vitamins. In our discussion of antioxidant vitamins, we will focus on vitamins E, C, and A.<\/p>\n

Figure 9.21 Antioxidants Role<\/p>\n

\"\"
Image by Allison Calabrese \/ CC BY 4.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Antioxidant Chemicals Obtained from the Diet<\/h1>\n

There are many different antioxidants in food, including selenium, which is one of the major antioxidants. However, the antioxidants you may be the most familiar with are vitamins. The \u201cbig three\u201d vitamin antioxidants are vitamins E, A, and C, although it may be that they are called the \u201cbig three\u201d only because they are the most studied.<\/p>\n

Table 9.32 Some Antioxidants Obtained from Diet and Their Related Functions<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Antioxidant<\/td>\nFunctions Attributed to Antioxidant Capacity<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vitamin A<\/td>\nProtects cellular membranes, prevents glutathione depletion, maintains free radical detoxifying enzyme systems, reduces inflammation<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vitamin E<\/td>\nProtects cellular membranes, prevents glutathione depletion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vitamin C<\/td>\nProtects DNA, RNA, proteins, and lipids, aids in regenerating vitamin E<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Carotenoids<\/td>\nFree radical scavengers<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Lipoic acid<\/td>\nFree radical scavenger, aids in regeneration of vitamins C and E<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Phenolic acids<\/td>\nFree radical scavengers, protect cellular membranes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":766,"menu_order":4,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":"cc-by-nc-sa"},"chapter-type":[48],"contributor":[],"license":[56],"class_list":["post-261","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry","chapter-type-numberless","license-cc-by-nc-sa"],"part":234,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/nutr1100\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/261","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/nutr1100\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/nutr1100\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/nutr1100\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/766"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/nutr1100\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/261\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1100,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/nutr1100\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/261\/revisions\/1100"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/nutr1100\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/234"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/nutr1100\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/261\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/nutr1100\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=261"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/nutr1100\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=261"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/nutr1100\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=261"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/nutr1100\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=261"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}