What is ANTIOXIDANT? What does ANTIOXIDANT mean? ANTIOXIDANT meaning, definition & explanation

Blueberries and cranberries are usually the fruits that are often touted by nutrition scientists as the top antioxidant rich foods. In the vegetable variety, russet potatoes, red beans, and red cabbage are topping the list as well. However, there are also other fruits and vegetables that may contain more essential benefits to our health. 

Because of this function, herbal antioxidants are said to play a role in the prevention and potential cure of various degenerative diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, and several others. If there is one other thing you need to know about herbal antioxidants, it is that they are not naturally found in the body. 

Chronic inflammation leads to damage in the cells of our brain, heart, arterial walls, and other body structures which are attributed as the cause of such illnesses as heart disease, Alzheimer's, senility, Parkinson's, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, prostatitis, stroke, and a few other diseases brought by aging. 

Unfortunately, human beings are one of the few animal species that do not produce their own antioxidants. That is why we depend so much on our diet for our source of antioxidants. In the study about antioxidant juice from pomegranates, researchers have found that the substance can effectively reverse the progression of atherosclerosis, or the hardening of the arteries. 

When there are eight electrons in an orbit, it means that that particular orbit (or shell as it is called) is full which further means the atom is stable. Stable atoms tend not to enter into chemical reactions. Because atoms seek to reach a state of maximum stability, an atom will try to fill its shell with electrons by: Gaining or losing electrons to either fill or empty its outer shell Sharing its electrons by bonding together with other atoms in order to complete its outer shell Free Radicals: The Formation The free radicals are formed when weak bonds between atoms are split. 

Free radicals are highly reactive chemical substances that are produced when the body undergoes the process of oxidation. The reason that free radicals are highly reactive is that they lack electrons, which cause them to be highly unstable. To achieve maximum stability, free radicals therefore steal electrons from other molecules around them and in so doing, destroy the cell membranes and weaken the cell.