For many of us medical jargon and buzzwords tend to confuse more than enlighten.  Often we are told that certain types of foods or supplements are good for us without actually really telling us why.

This is the first in a series of blogs on PatientTalk.Org which aims to make our readers better informed about different medical concepts and procedures.  For this blog we decided to look more closely at antioxidants.

So what is an antioxidant?

Well one of the features of getting older is something called oxidative stress.   This is a process whereby molecules in our bodies loose electrons to oxygen in our blood.  These oxygen molecules are referred to as free radicals and can cause damage to your cellular DNA.  Over time this can cause disease or illness.

Simply put an antioxidant is a molecule which helps prevent this oxidisation process.

While antioxidants are produced by our bodies many people include particular foods in their diet which contain high amounts of antioxidants.

There are a wide variety of conditions which can benefit from antioxidants.  These include certain cancers, heart conditions, Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive dysfunctions.

Foodstuffs which are rich in antioxidants include

1)      Green vegetables of which kale is a great source

2)      Citrus fruits such as lemons and oranges.

3)      Berries such as cherries, blueberries and strawberries.  As well as plums and mangos.

4)      Great news for curry fans is that lots of spices are high in antioxidants.  These include cloves, turmeric, mustard seeds, ginger and chillies.

5)      For those who love Mediterranean food lots of herbs are also stuffed with antioxidants.  Among others oregano, basil and parsley.

6)      Nuts such as peanuts, pecans and walnuts.

7)      Green and white teas.

Do you use antioxidants in your diet?  If so which ones and what impact has it had on your health?  Please use the comments box below to tell your story or share any links you think may be of interest!