Antioxidants Help Promote Healthy Skin
Antioxidant is the buzz word these days in health care industry. Whether you read a health article online, newspaper or magazines, this term appears more than often. Moreover, most advertisements of beauty and health products always mention antioxidants.
The normal processes of oxidation produces highly reactive free radicals that can readily react with and damage other molecules which may continue to damage even the body’s own cells. Antioxidants capture and cleanup these free radicals before they get a chance to do any harm in your body.
The most important antioxidants that help the skin are:
Vitamin A. It has been discovered that beta-carotene in vitamin A protects dark green, yellow and orange vegetables and fruits from solar radiation damage. It is widely believed that it plays a similar role in human body. Broccoli, squash, Carrots, tomatoes, cantaloupe, peaches, apricots etc. are particularly rich in vitamin A.
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) is a water-soluble compound that fulfills antioxidant role, among others, in living systems. Important sources include citrus fruits (like oranges, sweet lime etc.), green peppers, broccoli, green leafy vegetables, strawberries, raw cabbage and tomatoes.
Vitamin E is a principal fat-soluble antioxidant vitamin in the body. It protects cellular membranes, lipoproteins and other "oily" structures. Skin is high in unsaturated fatty acids ("oily" molecules especially susceptible to free radical damage), and can benefit from vitamin E protection (both oral and topical). Sources include wheat germ, nuts, seeds, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, vegetable oil and fish-liver oil.
Flavonoids are a diverse group of plant pigments with antioxidant properties that contain proanthocyanins and polyphenols that are good for the skin. These substances are responsible for color in many fruits, vegetables and flowers. In addition to providing color that attracts insects or animals, these pigments protect plants from environmental stress. In addition to being potent antioxidants, some flavonoids have antiallergic, anti-carcinogenic, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory activity. Over 4,000 flavonoids have been characterized and classified, but only a few have been researched.
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