DPPH Radical Scavenging Method-Total Antioxidant Capacity Assessment

Antioxidant support can be found in almost everything that we eat. More particularly, fresh fruits and vegetables are the richest sources of antioxidant support available. For instance, the antioxidant support Retinol or Vitamin A (or beta-carotene) are found in dark green, yellow, and orange vegetables and fruits. 

These antioxidant enzymes neutralize many types of disease-causing free radicals, ridding the body of their harmful effects. Supplements of these antioxidant enzymes are also available. Usually they are for oral administration in the form of pills or capsules. However, the absorption of antioxidant enzymes in supplement form is minimal at best. 

Eating a variety of foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol will provide a rich natural source of antioxidant vitamins, minerals, and fiber. But what exactly do antioxidant vitamins do? Oxygen radicals are everywhere because we live in an atmosphere that contains oxygen. Oxidation is a process that naturally occurs in the body and a natural consequence of it are the radical particles that have since been dubbed as "free radicals. 

Prior and his colleagues used the most advanced technologies available to tabulate antioxidant levels in more than 100 different types of berry fruits, vegetables, nuts, and spices. The Top 20 list includes small red beans (dried), wild blueberry, red kidney beans, pinto beans, blueberry (cultivated), cranberry, artichokes (cooked), blackberry, prunes (dried plums), raspberry, strawberry, red delicious apples, Granny Smith apples, pecans, sweet cherries, black plums, russet potatoes (cooked), black beans (dried), plums, and gala apples. 

That being said, free radicals, as by-products of oxidation, will always be present in our body. But what if there is a way for us to retard the development of free radicals? What if there is a way to break the free radical chain reaction? What if there is a way to prevent those diseases caused by harmful free radicals from developing? 

Scientists have linked free radicals to the development of degenerative diseases, causing massive cell damage that ultimately results in various disorders, such as cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, heart disease, and much, much more. By neutralizing free radicals, antioxidants actually prevent the onset of these diseases and at the same time keep the body healthy and strong.