Antioxidant Vitamins
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What are antioxidant vitamins and why are they important?
Our bodies are actually battlegrounds for infection and diseases. Normal body functions, such as breathing or physical activity, and other lifestyle habits, such as smoking, produce substances called free radicals that attack healthy cells. When these healthy cells are weakened, they are more susceptible to cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancers.
Antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, and carotenoids, which include beta-carotene, lycopene, and lutein, help protect healthy cells from damage caused by free radicals.
Antioxidant vitamins are essential to good health and are found naturally in a wide variety of foods and plants, including many fruits and vegetables.
The American Heart Association doesn't recommend using antioxidant vitamin supplements until more complete data are available. Instead, they continue to recommend that people eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods daily from all the basic food groups.
Eating a variety of foods low in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol will provide a natural source of these vitamins, minerals and fiber.
For safe, doctor-approved antioxidant vitamins, see:
See also: Anti-Oxidants from our sister site, Fitness and Freebies.
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