Are antioxidant supplements for you?
Remember all the television advertisements that boasted about their products being rich in antioxidants?
Indeed, antioxidants are associated with a range of health benefits. This owes in part to the fact that fruits and vegetables, which are high in antioxidants, are linked to various health benefits, including a lower risk of diseases.
What Are Antioxidants?
Haven’t we all been recommended perhaps a tea or a fruit rich in antioxidants! But do you know what they are and what do they protect us from?
As a by-product of converting food into energy, our body produces free radicals. These free radicals are infamously referred to as the ‘dark side of Oxygen’ and can be potentially harmful as they start attacking even the relatively healthy cells.
Antioxidants are compounds that inhibit oxidation and help the body resist these harmful free radicals. Unfortunately, exercising or being exposed to tobacco smoke, air pollution, or extreme sunlight may also result in the formation of free radicals. Thus they are produced in response to the environment, stress, and pressure.
Oxidative stress is a condition faced by humans when free radicals outnumber the body’s ability to control them. This leads to ageing and the progression of diseases, such as cancer, over time. Free radicals aren’t all bad; some are even used to fight viruses and bacteria to keep us healthy. But, on the other hand, others will harm cells and lead to diseases like heart disease and cancer.
Antioxidant-rich foods can lower the risk of many diseases by removing or regulating these harmful free radicals from the bloodstream.
What’s The Buzz about Antioxidants?
When scientists discovered that free radical damage was involved in the early stages of artery-clogging atherosclerosis in the 1990s, antioxidants became common. But, unfortunately, free radicals have also been related to cancer, vision loss, and other chronic illnesses.
According to some reports, people who consumed less antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables had a higher chance of developing these chronic diseases. As a result, clinical trials started looking into the effects of single supplements, especially beta-carotene and Vitamin E, as weapons against chronic diseases.
Even before there was certainty regarding the health benefits of antioxidants, the media industry had started its business of exciting antioxidants. Antioxidant-rich items such as frozen berries, green tea, and other foods began to appear in supermarkets. In addition, supplement manufacturers touted the disease-fighting properties of various antioxidants.
The over-usage of anything can cause harm, and antioxidants are no different. The harmful effects can range from a fall in immunity levels to protecting even deadly cancer cells. Regulation is thus essential, and overdoing anything can therefore have adverse effects.
Include antioxidant-rich foods in your diet.
You can get your fair share of different antioxidants from the following vegetarian food sources:
- Vitamin A – sweet potatoes, carrots, milk.
- Vitamin C – Brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower
- Vitamin E – avocado, almonds, leafy greens
- Carotenoids – asparagus, apricots, broccoli
- Zinc – pumpkin seeds
- Selenium – Brazil nuts
Incorporating antioxidant supplements in your diet- Why?
Too much of anything is never good. If your body is unable to meet its requirement of antioxidants, only then resort to antioxidant supplements. It is also wise to consult your doctor before consuming any antioxidant supplements if you have any medical conditions that need to be considered before starting on antioxidant supplements.
You can temporarily incorporate antioxidant supplements while you try to figure out a reliable way in which you can naturally consume antioxidant-rich foods through your diet. You can eventually develop a lifestyle and a diet where you won’t have to take antioxidant supplements. After all, what’s natural is natural!
Tips to increase your antioxidant intake.
- Instead of snacking, say hello to salads with sprouts, avocado, lettuce, and veggies of your choice.
- Make your dinner plate colourful; it is probably low in antioxidants if your food usually looks brown or beige. Add foods like beetroot and berries to your diet.
- Your essential spices- turmeric, oregano, ginger, clove, mustard seeds, and cinnamon are excellent sources of Omega-3. They also go in a bunch of food preparations.
- Consider supplements if you fail to get your daily requirement of Omega-3s.
Foresta Organics has a wide range of natural vegan supplements that can help you with your antioxidant supplements.
1. Liver Detox
Liver Detox by Foresta Organics contains Milk Thistle Extract (Silymarin), Dandelion & Vitamins. Milk thistle and dandelion are both rich in antioxidants, and they help in battling the free radicals in your liver, thus giving your liver a long healthy life.
Liver Detox additionally helps-
- Rejuvenate your liver cells.
- Help repair damage alcohol causes.
- Helps flush out toxins.
2. Kidney Detox
Have you ever heard of Varun, Punerneva & Ganoderma? Varun and Punarnava are known to have strong diuretic effects and thus help detox kidneys. On the other hand, Ganoderma helps in the proper functioning of kidneys and treats many diseases that can harm your kidneys.
Additionally, Kidney detox-
- Helps in dissolving kidney stones.
- Has anti-Inflammatory Properties
- Helps Flush Out Toxins
- Has strong Diuretic Effects
Check out Kidney Detox to explore what it has to offer.
Takeaway.
We always recommend the natural way of life. Ideally, you should be able to get your antioxidants through your diet. We also understand that not everyone has the privilege to eat a nutritious meal three times a day. It is always a good idea to get some help from supplements to keep your body strong till you take long term sustainable steps to fix the lack of required antioxidant intake.
