The History Of Antioxidants

What many people don't know about antioxidants is that they were actually used for a number of different purposes before being made available for human consumption. It wasn't actually until the mid 20th century that scientists realized and understood exactly why the human consumption of antioxidants was helping to extend life expectancy and quality.
If you are interested in the course that the development of consumer friendly antioxidant supplements took, this article is specifically for you. We will start back as far as the early 19th century, where the industrialization of nations was beginning to take place - and was a key contributor to the developing economies around the world.

 

Early Use Of Antioxidants

In the 19th century, engineers discovered that a particular substance was able to prevent the expensive condition of "metal corrosion", by shutting off the oxidation process. The chemicals they recruited to do this task were called "antioxidants", and the ability to prevent metal from corroding, or rubber from vulcanizing, saved the industrial industry millions of dollars in wasted resources each and every year.
Although the reasons why antioxidants were so effective at preventing this nasty situation from developing, scientists would soon turn their focus on the industry, and attempt to apply the same logic and principals to biotechnology.

 

From Metal To Food To Cells

This indeed happened in the mid 20th century. It all started with the attempts by scientists to extend the life of foods. By combining antioxidants with foods high in unsaturated fat, the tests were able to prevent the onset of rancidity - a nasty process by which the unsaturated fats break down and produce a rancid like smell and taste.
As this process continued, and new information was brought to light, it was quickly discovered that a few of the key and vital vitamins - essential in the human diet - were actually able to be classified as antioxidants too. This meant that over the past 1000 years, people had been consuming antioxidants on a daily basis.
From here, further research was started which would eventually reveal that antioxidants were able to extend the human lifespan, cut down the effects of the aging process, and provide general well being to the human body. It was this later realization which has lead us to the information we have on antioxidants this very day.

Top 15 Anti Aging Foods

The food that you eat affects your health in a big way. If you wish to look young and beautiful longer then it is possible by just making few alterations in your eating habits. Just add the below mention 20 food items as they top the chart of anti aging foods:

1. Berries:  Berries are a good source of flavonoids and vitamin C and thus help the body to decrease the rate of aging.
2. Avocado: The vitamin E present in avocado ensures a healthy and glowing skin and thus decreasing the aging signs.
3. Broccoli: They are a rich source of antioxidants which keep the free radicals in control.
4. Beans: Beans are also rich in flavonoids that are effective in reducing the visible signs of aging. Soybeans are well known to control and reduce wrinkles.
5. Cruciferous vegetables: This group of vegetables includes carrots, radish, turnip and cabbage.  All these are good sources of fiber and vitamins which slows down the aging process and keep the skin healthy and glowing.
6. Garlic: Garlic acts as an anti- inflammatory agent and eliminates heavy metals from the body which adds to the glow of the skin.
7. Nuts: Nuts are excellent sources of fats, minerals and antioxidants. They help in improving your skin’s health and boost the immune system.
8. Green tea:  The catechins and tannic acid present in green tea acts like an antioxidants for the skin.
9. Root vegetables: Yellow and orange vegetables like carrots and root potatoes are rich source of beta carotene which is a super antioxidant for eyes and skin.
10. Spinach: The lutein present in this green leafy vegetable helps in maintain healthy and glowing skin.
11. Salmon: Salmons are rich in omega-3 fatty acids which are essential for healthy and beautiful skin.
12. Watermelon: Watermelon is a powerhouse of several vitamins and minerals like zinc, vitamin C, vitamin E and several fatty acids. All these together keep the skin healthy, radiant and radicals free.
13. Tomatoes: Lycopene present in tomatoes also act as antioxidants to combat free radicals. It even helps in fighting the harmful effects of UV rays.
14. Water: Nothing in this world can substitute water in maintaining a healthy glow on the skin. Water removes all the toxins from the body and keeps the body hydrated.  Drink at least eight to ten glasses of water daily.
15. Chocolates: Chocolates are rich in flavanols that keeps blood vessels healthy and thus gives you a youthful feeling.

What Do Antioxidants Actually Do?

Of course you have heard of the term "antioxidant", but do you really know what it does? Do you truly understand the function that an antioxidants takes on once it is inside the body? The chances are that you probably just take them for granted, knowing that if you were to consume enough - you will probably feel better within yourself, and possibly even lower the risk of major illnesses from striking.
Yes - you have the right idea, but this certainly isn't the whole story. Did you know that there is actually a good time of the day to take as many antioxidants as you can - for them to be able to work as efficiently as possible? Did you also know that some foods and fruits have higher levels of antioxidants than some others?
In this article, we will take a look at these varying instances of antioxidants, and try to work out whether or not you are using them in the right way.

Foods You Are Eating

If I was to ask you to make a list of all the foods you thought were high in antioxidants, which ones would you put at the top? No doubt, you would opt for the highly unpopular fruits and vegetables which have to be guzzled down instead of enjoyed at the dinner table.
But the reality is that there are a number of tasty options to satisfy your need for antioxidants without going overboard. Think about the taste of the following things:
- Blueberries
- Blackberries
- Green Tea
- Carrots
- Bananas
Here are 5 things which people tend to enjoy more than spinach, eggplant, and smoked salmon. Indeed, we all have our different taste preferences - but the foods listed above certainly represent what a majority of people would go for.

So What Do Antioxidants Actually Do?

Now that you know which foods you will find antioxidants in, we still have to answer the question of - "what do antioxidants  actually do?".
Well, being true to their name, antioxidants assist with the destruction of oxidation pollutants in the human body. Ironically, even though we rely on oxygen to stay alive - oxidizing which occurs in the body is actually harmful to the cells and the human body itself. Hence, antioxidants work to stall and prevent this process from continuing.