What Are Good Antioxidants?

Antioxidants have many potential benefits to your overall health; however, there is no such thing as a good antioxidant that benefits everyone. According to "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine," certain sources of antioxidants may provide greater overall health benefits than others. The antioxidant most beneficial to you depends on on your health and any deficiencies you have.

Antioxidants

Antioxidants function in your body by inhibiting oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation yields free radicals. Primordial animals developed endogenous antioxidant systems and incorporated exogenous antioxidant sources to deactivate and neutralize the toxicity of free radicals. Also contributing to the deactivation and reduction of free radicals in your body are exogenous micronutrients including vitamin C, tocopherols, carotenoids and other botanical, pharmacologic and biosynthesized compounds. Examples of exogenous antioxidants include beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, zinc and superoxide dismutase. Examples of antioxidant plants include citrus fruits, carrots, ginger root, gingko leaf, grapes, rosemary leaf and tomatoes.

Free Radicals

Free radicals are highly reactive, unstable chemicals that can start chain reactions leading to tissue destruction in your body. Additionally, free radicals can attack proteins, nucleic acids and cell membranes containing large quantities of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Examples of free radicals are superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide. In the presence of metals like iron and copper, both superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide produce hydroxyl radicals. Free oxygen radicals synthesize in the course of your normal requisite metabolic processes. This includes the destruction of microorganisms, cellular and mitochondrial oxygen exchange, detoxification processes and the clotting of blood. Thus, you cannot classify free radicals or reactive oxygen species as either inherently bad or good.

Antioxidants as Therapy

Naturopath Robert Thiel, Ph.D., states that individuals that consume foods with high antioxidant content have a decreased risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Additionally, Thiel states that an increased antioxidant intake correlates with reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease. He also references several studies that found that isolated antioxidant supplements have failed to provide benefits for cancer and cardiovascular diseases. There are great chemical and structural differences between isolated antioxidants and those found in food. The antioxidant source, therefore, determines the way your body absorbs the antioxidant and the overall effectiveness of the antioxidant.

Good and Bad Antioxidants

There is no such thing as a good or bad antioxidant. The specific effect of the antioxidant varies according to specific deficiencies you may have and the antioxidant source. In other words, an antioxidant that benefits one person, may have no effect in another person. According to "Integrative Medicine," however, scientific research conducted by nutritionists, naturopaths, biochemistries and doctors has found that the antioxidant potential of whole foods is superior to extracted individual antioxidants.