"I often eat blueberries now , because they contain many antioxidants," said a colleague recently. Antioxidants so … a hundred times but somehow still no idea what that is exactly? We clarify!

What do antioxidants have to do with free radicals?

To understand what antioxidants are good for, it is important to know what free radicals are. These are blamed for many health problems such as cancer, dementia, eye problems or joint problems. And it's the free radicals that make our skin age. These are oxygen-containing molecules that are unstable because they lack an electron in their chemical structure. Their goal: to find a suitable electron to become complete again. So what are you doing? They ruthlessly go on intact molecules and snatch an electron from this. The robbed molecule now lacks an electron and becomes a free radical itself. The result: a chain reaction. Healthy cells are destroyed and so can even cause cancer. Free radicals are caused by smoking, alcohol, junk food, air pollution, sugar, preservatives, pesticides, UV rays, medicines and drugs.

Vitamin C and E contains many antioxidants

How can you stop free radicals?

Antioxidants form the missing electron that seeks the free radical. So the free radicals can be turned off. Antioxidants are mainly taken as food. In general, especially many antioxidants are included, inter alia, in garlic, cabbage, broccoli, licorice, ginger, tea, coffee, chervil, parsley, onion, citrus, linseed, rice, tomato, grapeseed oil, rosemary, mint, cucumber, asparagus, basil and cocoa. Antioxidants are also an important component of human breast milk, they act as a radical scavenger in the baby's organism and help with the fight against infection. Most antioxidants per serving are included in: – dried small red beans
– wild blueberries
– red kidney beans
– Pinto beans
– culture blueberries
– Cranberries
– cooked artichoke hearts
– blackberries
– dried plums
– raspberries
– strawberries
– Red-delicious apples
– Granny Smith apples
– pecan nuts
– sweet cherries
– plums
– potatoes
– dried black beans
– plum
– Gala apples Important addition: Even dark chocolate should have positive effects in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Antioxidants to prevent skin aging

Especially intensive sunbathing, smoking or stress increase the formation of free radicals. Because of this, tanned skin or that of smokers will also wrinkle faster. However, it is possible to slow down the body's natural aging process, prevent energy loss and cell death, and protect it from accumulation of adipose tissue and hormone depletion through antioxidants. In short: Who takes many antioxidants protects his skin from aging.

Antioxidants protect against aging

Strengthen memory with antioxidants

Many antioxidants are found in vitamins C and E. Especially for the elderly it is important that they eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. Among other things, the progressive degradation of brain capacity is triggered by free radicals, which is why antioxidants can be used to halt or at least slow down the continuous decay. Improvements in memory and cognitive processes, especially in the elderly, can be induced by taking ginkgo biloba, the extract of leaves of the Chinese ginkgo tree. Ginkgo biloba extract improves the circulation of the nerve cells and the brain so that the brain is better supplied with oxygen and nutrients. In the health food store, in the pharmacy or dm there are various ginko preparations and juices.