INSIGHTS

Healthy beauty from within

Part 2 – The Power of Antioxidants

What are antioxidants?

The Human body has a trillion cells facing formidable threats, from cell deterioration, infection with a virus, etc. We often overlook the threats from chemicals called free radicals. The body generates free radicals as inevitable byproducts of turning food into energy. They can damage cells and genetic material if they are at high levels. This leads to ageing like wrinkles, lack of eye health and short memory. Therefore, the body should always have a supply of “antioxidants”, which cope with the free radicals to prevent some of the damage caused.

The role of antioxidants

Antioxidants can slow damage to cells caused by free radicals and can lower the risk of chronic oxidative stress-related cardiovascular diseases, cancer, etc. Moreover, antioxidants provide protection against many sources of ageing. Thus, people often use antioxidants in supplements for beautification, anti-ageing and well-being.

What are good sources of antioxidants?

 Antioxidants are naturally found in many fruits and vegetables but can also be found in fish and meat. The following sections will highlight some of our favorite sources of antioxidants and we will go over the benefits of consuming these foods will have on your beauty and health. 

Acerola cherries

Acerola cherries are well-known for being extremely rich in vitamin C. Research has found the antioxidant role of vitamin C can neutralize free radical molecules, which in excess can damage cells. Vitamin C also supports the body’s immune system by stimulating the activity of white blood cells and also improves iron absorption. Furthermore, Vitamin C can stimulate collagen synthesis to promote skin elasticity for more youthful skin.

Berries

Various cheeses

Berries have many colour tones such as red, purple and blue that come from pigments which are anthocyanins and can also be found in red to purplish and blue fruit, roots, bulbs and leaves. Anthocyanin is a phenolic compound that is usually found in berries – it helps improve visual health and maintain good vision. Moreover, Anthocyanins possess antidiabetic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-obesity effects, and may help prevent cardiovascular diseases.

Fish oil & Algae oil

The major nutrient in fish oil is omega-3 fatty acid which can also be found in algae oil as a plant-source alternative suitable for a vegan diet. Omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to healthy ageing throughout life. Recently, fish-derived omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA have been associated with fetal development, cardiovascular function, and Alzheimer’s disease. DHA or docosahexaenoic acid is a type of omega-3. It is a key component of all cell membranes and is found in abundance in the brain and retina. So not only is DHA an essential building block of life, DHA has benefits and is essential for the brain, brain ageing, and vision health.

Conclusion

The above nutrients can be easily extracted into concentrated ingredients which are easier to consume and can be used to make a variety of food applications. If you are interested in learning more about our ingredients and would like to consult how to properly use them in food applications, our food lab team can provide solutions and application guidelines with full support. Please don’t hesitate to contact us!

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