Antioxidants are defined as chemical compounds that bind with free oxygen radicals thereby preventing the radicals from causing harm to the cells of the body. Anti oxidants have proved to be of great help to the body and are tremendously useful in nature especially in relation to cancer. In the case of cancer, antioxidants help in improving the effectiveness of chemotherapy, decreases the side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and thus prevents the occurrence of certain kinds of cancer.

In fact research studies have today shown that if a person takes foods high in anti oxidants, such as fruits and vegetables, the risk of occurrence of cancer can be decreased to a very high level. This is best understood when it has been found that cancer patients contain less amounts of anti oxidants in their blood. Fruits and vegetables that are high in vitamin C, E and A as well as lycopene and beta-carotene help in the prevention of cancer. Cancer especially of the bowel and the bladder is prevented by anti oxidants.

Function Of Antioxidants

Anti oxidants are substances that retard the oxidative rancidity of fats in foods that are stored. The antioxidants are chemicals that bind up the unstable products of metabolism, called free radicals, which may cause harm to the body. Naturally occurring anti oxidants is prevalent in many fats and vegetable oils. Antioxidants include beta-carotene and are also prevalent in trace quantities in several elements like copper, manganese, selenium, and zinc.

How Do The Antioxidants Work?

Antioxidants, as the name implies, mean those substances that counteract the damaging yet normal effects of oxidative processes in the animal cell. These are nutrients as well as enzymes or proteins in the body that assist in chemical reactions. They play an important role in preventing diseases like rheumatic arthritis, Alzheimer's disease and eye cataract.

Free radicals that are produced due to oxidation cause harm to the body. The damage that is caused by free radicals is impossible to avoid. The free radicals are given rise from both endogenous and exogenous processes. The oxidants that develop from the body processes are resulted from normal aerobic respiration, metabolism and inflammation. Since the anti oxidants of the body are not perfect, so with age, the cell parts that are damaged by oxidation get accumulated.

Significance Of Antioxidants

The antioxidants that are available in food help in keeping the body away from diseases of heart and some other diseases as well. With the help of several research works being carried about, it has been proven that anti oxidants that are available in tea and several plants, increase the metabolic system of the body. Most of the anti oxidants that a person consumes come from plants.

Today, many researches are carried out by scientists to arrive at the possible benefits that can be derived from anti oxidants. Anti oxidants thus carry a great role in the over all improvement of the body metabolism and thus prevent the occurrence of several serious diseases in the body.