What is an Antioxidant?

We’ve all heard of free radicals and that they are bad, and that getting enough antioxidants is good, but what does that mean? Why do we need antioxidants?

What is a Free Radical?

Metabolism is defined as the chemical reactions inside your cells that combine food and oxygen to create energy. Energy is required for every bodily function from breathing to cell division to the beating of our hearts. Without energy, our bodies would simply stop working.

When oxygen combines with food in your cells you make energy, but you also make “free radicals” which is your body’s version of exhaust fumes coming from a car engine. Free radicals are unstable, destructive oxygen atoms. They are missing electrons. These free radicals injure your body’s healthy molecules by stealing electrons to replace their missing electrons and to balance themselves. In the process, the free radicals injure cells and leave damaged cells and tissues in their wake. This process is called oxidation and it’s what makes iron rust and fruit turn brown and cells damaged.

Stress, air pollution and cigarette smoke can cause your body to produce even more free radicals. Additionally, radiation, ultraviolet light in sunshine, toxic chemicals, pesticides, excess saturated fats and even processed foods themselves can create more free radicals.

Human beings and animals have developed mechanisms that can protect against the formation of these dangerous byproducts of metabolism. It is called an antioxidant. When an antioxidant finds a free radical, it grabs hold of it, and escorts it out of the body before it can do any damage. Chemically it helps to neutralize the free radical by offering up their own electrons and so protect healthy tissue.

What are Antioxidants?

Antioxidants are found in the food we eat. However, foods lose their antioxidant powers when they are processed and cooked. 

The primary benefit of antioxidants is their ability to safely react with free radicals before damage can be done on a cellular level.

The best bet is to keep your antioxidant level high by eating foods high in the vitamins needed to create antioxidants. The most important antioxidant vitamins and minerals include vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene (a pigment found in many fruits and vegetables that the body converts into vitamin A), and the minerals selenium, zinc, and copper. These nutrients help protect the body from damage caused by free radicals. 

Your Diet

The ideal way to consume nutrients is through a well-balanced diet, rather than synthetic vitamins. It’s always best to get your vitamins and minerals, including antioxidants, through food.

Why Do We Suggest Camel Milk?

Camel milk has many healthy nutrients and is rich in antioxidants.

Camel milk is a natural food and is an excellent source of protein. It also includes B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium, phosphorus, iron, immunoglobulins, calcium, selenium, omega-3 fatty acids, lactoferrin, and zinc.

One of the many nutritional benefits of camel milk is that it contains 3 to 5 times more vitamin C than cow milk.

Adding camel milk to your family’s diet can provide an antioxidant boost and is a natural way to improve overall health.