Unilever Network Philippines

Beyonde Health: Surprising Benefits of Antioxidants

What are the surprising benefits of antioxidants?

  1. Antioxidants help in the fight against cancer
  2. Antioxidants offer protection from heart disease
  3. Antioxidants delay the signs of aging
  4. Antioxidants can save your sight

 

 

There is no shortage of antioxidants in the world. They are abundant in fruits like strawberries and grapes and in vegetables like raw spinach or green raw kale. You can even find them in other food types such as nuts, herbs, legumes and grains, and more. Aside from occurring naturally in these food groups, there are also manufacturers who produce supplements like Beyonde products that are packed with antioxidants.

Antioxidants, whether taken naturally or through supplements, are, in more ways than one, good for your health. Everyone knows of this fact, but not many can explain or say exactly what they do—how they are good for us.

On the most basic level, antioxidants battle against free radicals – oxidizing agents that damage the cells. Free radicals can appear due to exposure to pollution and certain chemicals, radiation, smoking, and also as a byproduct of metabolism. In short, free radicals naturally occur in your body and are unavoidable. The only way to combat these free radicals is through the intake of antioxidants.

Antioxidants fight against free radicals—that is their most basic function—but they do more than just that. And that’s what we’ll tell you! Just what do antioxidants do and what are the benefits of including them in your diet plans?

 

 

Antioxidants Help in the Fight Against Cancer

Free radicals, as said previously, damage the cells in your body. Sometimes they do this by altering the cells’ operating instructions and prompt them to reproduce uncontrollably. Once this happens, it may lead to the formation of cancerous tumors and, eventually, cancer.

Admittedly, antioxidants are not the solution to cancer, although studies have shown that they are capable of protecting your body from the disease. Given their ability to fight inflammation, antioxidants can stifle the growth of these tumors by either demobilizing or scavenging free radicals.

Other studies have also shown that antioxidant supplementation can help during the treatment process because the body’s supply of antioxidants drops when undergoing cancer treatment.

 

 

Antioxidants Offer Protection from Heart Disease

There are many types of antioxidants and almost every one of them offers a different kind of benefit; a kind of protection from a certain kind of disease. Vitamin C and polyphenol, for example, have shown potential in protecting us from heart disease.

Polyphenol is an antioxidant that helps prevent the oxidation of fat. As a result, internal inflammation is limited and the risk of heart disease and diabetes is lowered. You can find polyphenol abundantly in light-roast coffees. They can also be found in dark roasts and tea albeit in smaller doses.

Vitamin C, on the other hand, can be found on several fruits and vegetables. As per studies, this specific nutrient can lower the risk of stroke by as much as 50%. Moreover, the regular consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables helps protect the heart and prevent other cardiovascular issues and diseases.

 

 

Antioxidants Delay the Signs of Aging

Years and years of environmental damage can harm the skin and prevent it from looking and feeling healthy. Moreover, as the damage builds up, the skin slowly loses the ability to recover and bounce back. And this is how signs of aging such as wrinkles, fine lines, and other age spots surface from the body.

Luckily, antioxidants can help shield the surface of your skin from rapid deterioration as well as calm stressed skin as a defense against the visible effects of pollution. As a result, the wrinkles and fine lines that are so evident in your face eventually softens and your skin regains a firmer feel. Put simply, the signs of aging are delayed, but not removed, and you retain younger-looking skin for a longer time.

 

 

Antioxidants Can Save Your Sight

Carrots are good for your eye health—you’ve probably heard this over a million times from your parents or guardians. Well, you can’t really blame them for asking you to finish your carrots during every meal because the statement is 100% true.

Carrots are indeed good for your eye health because they are load with beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is an antioxidant that our body converts to vitamin A and it is an essential nutrient in maintaining good vision.

Aside from beta-carotene, there are other antioxidant phytochemicals that are possibly important in preserving your vision. An example of this is lutein, a carotenoid found in spinach, collard greens, and kale. Lutein is used by the retina cells located at the back of the eyeballs in order to ward off free radicals that cause eye damage.

If you properly and regularly consume supplements or food that are loaded with these antioxidants, your chances of developing cataracts and other eye-related diseases can significantly decline.

 

 

Key Takeaway

Whether you take them naturally or through supplements like Beyonde, it is safe to say that antioxidants are good for your health. But only in adequate amounts; too much of it can actually do more harm than good—as it is in most things.

If you exceed the required amount, you won’t be able to get any benefits from antioxidants, which means no protection against heart disease, cancer, aging, eye-related issues and many more.

So before you stuff your shelves with supplements and antioxidant-rich food, make sure to consult a doctor first! Ask a professional regarding the type of antioxidants you have to take as well as the required daily dosage for each. Doing this ensures that you get all the benefits and none of the risks and side-effects!