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Antioxidant Benefits From Drinking Green Tea

Oxygen is one of the essential elements that are needed by all the members who belong to the animal kingdom. Oxygen is an element that is present in the air and is responsible for triggering the burning of fat and glucose in order to provide the body with its necessary supply of energy and heat. However essential it may be, oxygen unfortunately also has some effects that are negative.

During the oxidation process, free radicals, which are highly reactive byproducts, are produced. When other molecules interact with these free radicals they themselves get turned into free radicals and their normal functioning gets disrupted. Eventually this could lead to massive tissue damage and cell destruction. It could even lead to the incidence of degenerative diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, artherosclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and heart disease.

Fortunately for us the human body is naturally equipped with defenses that work to prevent the harmful effects of these free radical compounds. Antioxidants are chemical substances that are naturally present in vegetables as well as fruit. These antioxidants hunt down free radicals and act on them. This causes the free radicals to get neutralized and stops their rampage and the damage they do to the body’s healthy cells, thus preventing or decreasing the incidence of disease.

Antioxidant Effects of Plants

Camellia sinensis is one of many plants that are known to contain a high level of disease-fighting antioxidants. This plant is sometimes also called the tea plant. Chinese households have been serving tea as a healthy beverage for hundreds of years in order to promote general well being and good health. Green tea in particular is very popular because of the many remarkable health benefits it provides.

Green tea is very popular in Japan, India. Thailand and China where people have been drinking it for years. Green tea has been used as one of the ingredients in many traditional Indian as well as Chinese medicines. Green tea is used in medicine as a:
* Stimulant
* Astringent- it helps wounds to heal and also controls bleeding
* Diuretic- promotes urine excretion
* Agent that improves health of the heart.

The benefits derived from green tea are believed to be largely due to the polycatechins that are present in it. These polycatechins have very powerful and highly effective antioxidant effects. Other than polycatechins there are many other ingredients present that contribute to the antioxidant properties of green tea.

The Antioxidant Properties of Green Tea

The antioxidant properties and effects of green tea are due to the presence of powerful polyphenolic antioxidants, also known as catechins. The other substances that give green tea its antioxidant properties include Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin A and tannin. Green tea also has powerful neuro-protective, anti-carcinogenic, anti-microbial and cardio-protective properties. Epigallocatechin gallate, which is an especially bioactive catechin, has been identified by many scientists as particularly important because its antioxidant effects have been linked to cancer prevention.

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Grape Seed: The Most Powerful Antioxidant?

Antioxidants have been given so much attention and focus of late that everyone cannot help being aware of the health benefits derived from these antioxidants. The health and scientific communities are constantly making new discoveries and work hard at raising awareness on antioxidants and their health benefits.

 

Studies show that there are many different kinds of antioxidants. Every antioxidant has a different potency from the others and each one also has a different action from any of the other antioxidants. Some antioxidants help in increasing metabolism of fat while others work by helping to combat cancer. Scientists have been trying to ascertain which antioxidant is the most powerful among the various ones that are provided to us by nature.

The French have an interesting title for the antioxidant that is considered most powerful of all. They call it “Gift of the grape”. Time and again the question has been raised about what is the substance present in grapes that enable them to have such powerful antioxidant properties? What secret ingredient did grapes contain? Also why would these antioxidants be considered as the most powerful of all others?

This antioxidant that is considered most powerful, acts by strengthening weakened and fragile blood vessels. In the process, circulatory problems also get reversed or prevented from occurring.

Grape seed extract, which is now considered to be the most powerful of all antioxidants, has twenty times the power as compared to Vitamin C and fifty times more power as compared to Vitamin E. A VERIS Research Summary, done in December 1996, suggested that heart attacks were reduced by as much as 77% on taking a daily dose of 400 IU of Vitamin E. Which means the most powerful antioxidant would potentially offer much higher benefits. Grape seed extract appears to be a much stronger antioxidant as compared to Vitamin E. Because of its powerful antioxidant properties, grape seed extract is emerging as a natural alternative to be used in the treatment of patients who are suffering from heart disease.

It is the active ingredients that are present in grape seed that make it so powerful as an antioxidant. These active ingredients assist the body in neutralizing free radicals. In the process free radicals are prevented from causing any damage and any damage that has already been caused is repaired.

There are many active constituents in grape seed, which are very powerful antioxidants. One of these ingredients is oligomeric procynanidin or OPC, which is very proficient in treating vascular diseases by actually causing an increase in the structural strength of the blood vessels that have weakened.

The very first oligomeric procynanidin or OPC was isolated in 1947 from the peanut’s red skin. This discovery was made by Dr. Jack Masquelier, a French chemist. In the ensuing years, red wine also started being used as a source for OPC.

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Natural Antioxidants

Over the years man has depended on nature as his main source of nutrients that are essential for his well being and good health. Plants are the main source of our food as well as our medicines and we depend on them almost completely so that the body can develop to its full potential while at the same time also decreasing the incidences of degenerative diseases.

Scientists have recently discovered the substance that is responsible for some of the many health benefits that man has been deriving from plants. Vegetables as well as fruits appear to contain certain chemical substances that react with specific, harmful molecules that are present in our bodies and stop them from causing any damage to our cells. These substances have come to be named natural oxidants because they mainly work on free radicals, which are by-products of oxygen.

The body is protected against free radicals by natural oxidants. Of the many functions that natural antioxidants perform, one of them is to prevent the occurrence of cellular damage that is brought about by free radicals. The oxidation process that our body undergoes when we breathe produces chemical substances that are highly reactive. These chemical substances are called free radicals.

When they are released, free radicals immediately get latched onto other molecules and steal their electrons. This results in the molecules turning as unstable as the free radicals themselves. A rapid chain reaction soon ensues and if left unattended this can lead to numerous other degenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, memory loss, cancer, Parkinson’s disease and stroke.

The primary sources of natural antioxidants are plants. The human body is incapable of producing the natural oxidants that it needs. That is the reason why we are solely dependant on our diet so that our body gets the necessary amount of antioxidants.

Some of the more well-known natural antioxidant groups include carotenoids, indoles, coumarins and catechins. All of these are complex compounds and are present in almost all plants. Carotenoids form the biggest group of antioxidants that occur naturally, closely followed by coumarins and indoles. Catechins are antioxidants that occur naturally in the plant Camellia sinensis, which gives us our black tea, oolong tea as well as green tea.

The most commonly found and well-known natural antioxidant within the carotenoid group is Beta- carotene. Another name for the antioxidant Beta –carotene is Vitamin A, which is an essential vitamin that plays an important role in preventing damage to the eye. This natural antioxidant provides support to the immune system, increases lung capacity, supports healthy levels of cholesterol and potentially reduces the risk of skin damage from sun exposure. Some studies have been done that prove beta-carotene is also good for a healthy heart.

The natural antioxidants that are present in catechins help promote health by giving the immune system a boost thereby lowering the chances of infection. Catechins are also great inducers of weight loss.

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Antioxidants - Can They Halt the Ravages of Time

Antioxidants have in recent times become a hugely popular buzzword. Everybody seems to credit antioxidants with curing many different conditions including aging and cancer.

So what exactly are these antioxidants that everybody’s talking about? How do they help strengthen or heal the human body? The theory behind the working of antioxidants is easy to understand but there is still some controversy regarding their efficacy.

The human body produces energy by metabolizing oxygen. This metabolic process forms free radicals as a natural by-product. Free radicals are individual atoms or sometimes groups of atoms that have unbalanced or unpaired electrons. These free radicals are volatile particles and they rob electrons from other molecules and cells within the body, sometimes causing cell damage that manifests itself as disease and aging.

Having free radicals present in the body is quite normal. It is when there are excessive quantities that significant harm can be done. It is well known that exposure to pollution, excessive sunlight, radiation, smoking and alcohol exaggerates the effects caused by free radicals and could lead to serious illness and/or premature aging.

Damage done by free radicals has serious consequences. Some of the negative effects of free radicals include:

* The aging process is speeded up
* Hardening of arteries (arteriosclerosis) and other cardiovascular diseases. When Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol reacts with free radicals it tends to adhere to the arterial walls. LDL is also known as bad cholesterol and is one of the major causes of Coronary Heart Disease.
* The lenses in the eyes start deteriorating leading to failing eyesight.
* The breakdown in cells that are present in the nervous system results in diseases like Dementia and Parkinson’s.
* Cell DNA undergoes changes that eventually lead to certain cancers.
* Inflammation in the joints causing arthritis.

When free radicals get mopped up by antioxidants, the impact that they have on cells gets neutralized. The foods that we eat contain varying degrees of naturally found antioxidants. Beta-carotene, Vitamin E, Vitamin C and the mineral Selenium are some oxidants that are most commonly known. Besides these, there are numerous other compounds that do the function of antioxidants. Anthocyanins and lycopene are two such compounds, which have been categorized as non-nutrient antioxidants. These non-nutrient antioxidants have little or no value nutritionally but it is their antioxidant properties that make them valuable.

Tests that have been conducted on animals have shown that there is a clear link between the use of antioxidants and a decrease in the onset of diseases. The connection between antioxidants and diseases is not so clear in humans and has not yet been fully established. However certain anecdotal evidence points to the fact that lycopene-rich tomatoes may possible reduce the incidence of prostrate cancer and flavenoid-rich green tea could lower the rate of heart disease.

The results of recently conducted clinical studies have largely been inconclusive and inconsistent. Some of the inconsistencies include:
* Chinese women and men who underwent treatment with a combination of Beta-carotene, Vitamin E and Selenium had a lower incidence of cancers including gastric cancer.
* The incidence of lung cancer was significantly increased in male Finnish smokers who were given Beta-carotene and supplements of Vitamin E appeared to have had no impact.

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The Health Benefits Of Antioxidant Fruits

It has been proved beyond doubt that antioxidant fruits are beneficial to health and well-being. However all antioxidant fruits do not provide the same level of health benefits. It could be said that some antioxidant fruits are more equal than others. They have a higher percentage of antioxidants and offer more health benefits than some of the other fruits. Some fruits may offer you nutrients along with antioxidant properties, while other fruit may have only vitamins.

The human body is designed to derive its energy requirements by utilizing oxygen as well as nutrients as fuel. However oxygen, though it does provide a lot of benefits and has a lot of positive effects, could possibly be accompanied by a negative ripple effect. When oxygen is processed in the body by a process known as oxidation, there is a simultaneous production of oxygen byproducts known as free radicals. The highly reactive free radicals may cause a certain amount of damage to cells. The antioxidant substances that are present in antioxidant fruits work by neutralizing these free radicals. In this process they are prevented from causing any damage.

The Benefits of Antioxidant Fruits

With so much being said in recent times about antioxidants and health benefits they provide people are becoming more and more aware of this radical substance. By now everybody knows that citrus fruits are rich in Vitamin C and apples have a high beta-carotene content. A daily diet that focuses on a high consumption of antioxidants helps give the body a stronger defense mechanism in its fight against free radicals and consequently oxidative stress, which is damage that free radicals cause. Many scientists have linked the process of oxidative stress to the development of degenerative and chronic diseases including cancer and heart disease.

Including cereals, vegetables and fruit in your diet give you additional benefits that you would not get if you took antioxidant supplements. Scientists suspect that this could be due to the fact that the consumption of antioxidant fruits in the form of food probably creates a combination of antioxidant substances that are lesser known but just as potent. These antioxidant combinations would probably have an effect that was far greater than that provided by any individual antioxidant supplement or any single nutrient.

In one of the recent Journal of Nutrition issues, the analysis of the antioxidant content of many different antioxidant fruits was published. According to the charts, strawberries, sour cherries, blue berries, crowberries, black currants, raspberries and black berries had the highest antioxidant content of all fruit in the berry family. Other important antioxidant fruits include grapefruit, plum, pomegranates, kiwi, lemon, orange, grape, dates, pineapple and Clementine. Broad beans were first in the list in the legume category, whereas walnuts occupied first place in the nuts category and sunflower seeds were second. Other foods that are rich in antioxidants include barley, red beets, kale, corn, red cabbage, ginger, chili pepper and millet.

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Antioxidant Rich Foods

Some of the most unexpected foods have been found to have high levels of antioxidants. While everybody knows that blueberries are a powerhouse of antioxidants, very few people know that the humble bean could also have equally high levels of antioxidants.

New studies that are being done suggest that in the imminent future beans way well be on their way to joining the family of foods that are rich in antioxidants. Some of the other foods in this group include potatoes, spices and berries. Very advanced analyses have been done recently on foods rich in antioxidants. These show that some of the most unlikely vegetables and fruits contain the presence of high levels of disease-fighting antioxidants. Some of these foods include Russet potato, artichokes and beans.

Particularly interesting is the fact that small red beans were found by researchers to be among the top of the list in the bean category of antioxidant-rich foods. As a matter of fact, it was found that these beans had a higher level of disease fighting antioxidants as compared to cultivated as well as wild blueberries combined. Blueberries have, down the ages, been known for their rich antioxidant content and of late they have been given even more importance with so much focus on free radicals and antioxidants. However it appears that the small red bean is all set to upstage the spotlight from blueberries.

The study also focused on other foods that are rich in antioxidants. Some of these foods included nuts as well spices such as oregano, cinnamon and ground cloves. The reason why their antioxidant benefits are not so evident is that we tend to eat these foods in much smaller quantities than vegetables and fruits.

Employing updated technology, the study assessed the antioxidant level in over 100 foods including nuts, cereals, fruits, spices, breads and vegetables. The antioxidant concentration was analyzed and each food was given a ranking that was based on the percentage of antioxidant per serving size.

Amongst all the fruits that were studied blackberries, blueberries and cranberries earned the highest ranking. Artichokes, Russet potatoes and beans were top ranked amongst all the vegetables. In the nut category it was hazelnuts, walnuts and pecans that were ranked highest in antioxidant content and in the spice category it was oregano, cinnamon and ground cloves.

Researchers have however noted that the potential health benefits of antioxidant-rich foods are not always totally dependent on the antioxidant capacity of that food. The process of absorption and digestion play an equally important role in determining the health benefits of any antioxidant.

Recently antioxidant rich foods are being given credit for helping cure or at least prevent a majority of diseases that are suspected to have resulted because of the attack of the free radicals on normal, healthy cells. This destruction of free radicals by antioxidants helps stop the ‘free radical chain’ reaction and also repairs cells that are damaged. Antioxidants appear to have some link to the treatment of various ailments such as Alzheimer’s, heart disease, Parkinson’s disease and cancer.

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Anti Aging Antioxidants

Extensive studies have been done on cell division in the human body and these show that cells can divide for a certain fixed number of times during the lifetime of a human being. Based on these studies scientists have concluded that most of the cells in the body will have finished using about 50% of their quota of cell-divisions by the time a person reaches the age of 20. Furthermore, by the time a person reaches the age of 40, the cells will have used up about 70% of their cell-division quota and have just 30% remaining. This explains why a person undergoes the physical changes that they do on the outside as well as the inside of the body as they age.

When these cells eventually use up the cell divisions that were naturally allotted to them, it results in the death of the person. This is an unavoidable occurrence that cannot be stopped. However scientists have discovered a way that this process may be retarded. Researchers have raised everyone’s hope by finally succeeded in finding a way to rejuvenate the lifespan of the cells and rejuvenate them.

So what are the causes of aging?

In recent days a large amount of scientific research is focused on trying to find a solution to the age-old dilemma of aging. From these studies it appears that the main culprits are free radicals- the higher the number of radicals that are present in your body, the more rapidly your body ages.

Free radicals are unstable, harmful substances that are a product of oxidation, a process that occurs naturally in the body. By themselves free radicals do not cause any harm. In fact, free radicals could benefit your body in some ways. The only problem with them is that they are incapable of distinguishing between harmful molecules and unhealthy molecules. This means that the possibility is very high that your healthy cells could also be attacked by them, causing massive tissue damage as well as cellular damage. This could eventually result in various chronic disorders or diseases, including aging.

Anti Aging Antioxidants – The Answer to Aging

The anti-aging-oxidants discovery has finally given Scientists a breakthrough in their continuous search to find the perfect solution to aging. Anti aging antioxidants are very distinct substances whole only function is acting on free radicals and preventing them from causing any damage to cell tissues. Though anti aging antioxidants substances that occur naturally, the body is incapable of producing them without any help. In fact human beings are dependant on plants for getting their supply of anti aging antioxidants.

Vegetables such as carrots, squash, potatoes, cabbages and cauliflower are the main sources of vitamins that behave like anti aging antioxidants.

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Anti-Aging Treatments

If you are trying to combat the visible signs of aging, you will want to try a variety of products that will treat the product and prevent wrinkles from appearing in the future. There are a multitude of products available such as creams, lotions, cosmetics, surgery, botox, and natural, herbal products.

Of course, the battle must be won from the inside out. So make sure you are exercising, not smoking and are drinking plenty of water. Experts recommend that you eat plenty of fruits and vegetables such that contain necessary vitamins and minerals.

Some women resort to face lifts and botox treatments. These are certainly effective but, they are also very expensive. There are also new treatments available such as hylaform, lifts and the transfer of fat.

If you have thinning lips, you may want to try hylaform which is an anti aging procedure that targets this area. Certainly, large, full lips are attractive and you certainly want to make those lips as kissable as possible.

If you have thins lips, this could add years to your appearance. The skins look thinner because your skin is losing collagen and elasticity. This can cause wrinkles to occur around your nose, lips and chin so, your lips may look even thinner.

Hylaform is a type of therapy which involves injections with a tiny needle and gel fillers are added. The amount of gel used depends on how thin your lips are and how full you would like your lips to be. You may want to consult your physician for advice.

Another effective anti aging treatment is a thread lift. These actually improve the overall look of your entire face. The procedure involves firming and lifting of the skin. Actual strings are inserted into face tissue which helps fix sagging, droopy skin.

This treatment is recommended for people in their upper 20’s, 30’s and 40’s. It is recommended for cheeks, and helps eliminate wrinkles around the nose eyes and chin. This procedure will enhance your appearance and make you look years younger.

Have you thought of or considered fat transfer? It is used to fill in areas that are beginning to sag or wrinkle. It is primarily used to fill in areas in the chin, eyes and forehead. It can also erase facial scars.

The fat is taken from other parts of the body, usually the fattier areas such as the buttocks and abdomen. The fat is then transferred to the area to be filled. There are several treatments needed to fill in the areas, as many as four to five.

All of these procedures are highly effective but costly. They can range in price up to $5,000.00.

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Anti-Aging Tips

Are you looking for a miraculous way to fight off the ill effects of aging such as miracle drugs and pills. Well you may want to actually look in your refrigerator first to see what fruits and vegetables you have available. They are rich in vitamins and minerals that fight off the ill effects of aging, which will combat unsightly spots, moles, creases and wrinkles.

As you age, you most certainly want to postpone the effects such as wrinkles and creases. I am sure you have heard that you need to exercise regularly, watch your diet, sleep eight hours a day, use anti aging cosmetics and try hormone therapy. Some people have even tried plastic surgery to get rid of wrinkles and other signs of aging.

However, if you get back to basics and eat healthy, which includes three nutritious meals a day and, exercise, exercise, exercise. If so, experts believe you may be better off than people who have had plastic surgery. If you are dieting, make sure you pay attention to what you are eating and eat nutritious foods which include plenty of fruits and vegetables.

As our bodies age it is important to ensure that we are getting the proper amounts of vitamins and minerals to maintain a healthy diet. Some vitamins are more critical than others. Make sure you eat plenty of foods that are rich in Vitamin B such as fish, poultry, leafy green vegetables, eggs, beans and peas. This will help with preventing memory loss and will also lower your chances of getting cardiac disease.

You will want to eat foods that are rich in Vitamin D so that you will have strong bones. As we age, our bones get brittle. Foods that are rich in Vitamin D include milk, eggs and fish.

Make sure that you are also exercising regularly. This will help you with stress and to maintain a healthy weight. This will also increase your energy level also. Overall, you will feel much better.

You really don’t need to be concerned about most fruits and vegetables. They have no salt or cholesterol, fat but, they do have vitamins and minerals that are important for you. There are a multitude of other vitamins and minerals you can obtain from fruits and vegetables such as folic acid, iron and magnesium. They also contain anti oxidants that help fight off disease and illness.

So keep in mind that the anti aging process works from the inside out. It is important to keep this is mind. Keep in mind that aging is a process and you can work towards aging in a healthy or an unhealthy way. It starts with a nutritious diet and exercise.

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Anti-Aging Care For Your Skin

You may be surprised to wake up one morning and discover that you have a lot of wrinkles and creases that weren’t there before. Aging can be a difficult to challenge to face. There are some things that you have control over such as dieting and exercise to stay fit and hydrated. However, the elements such as the sun, wind, lack of sleep, stress and other events contribute to the aging process.

Keep in mind, that prevention is your best medicine. There are things you can do now that will help you age gracefully.

You have most likely heard this before, but it is worth repeating. Use sunscreen whenever you are anticipating sun exposure. You can also use moisturizer which will help. You are never too old or too young to start using sunscreen. It can prevent you from further damage and it hydrates your skin. It is best to use sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher.

As your skin ages, it dries out. Try to keep your skin hydrated and moisturized as much as possible. Moisturizer provides a protective layer that keeps your skin from drying out.

Moisturizers have certainly come a long way. Do you remember the cold creams of yesteryear that had a medicinal smell? Today, the creams are much more luxurious and have sweet aromas.

It is best to start a routine of using moisturizer. You should apply a thin layer under your makeup as well as at night. You should use a lighter cream under your makeup and a heavier cream on your skin at night.

The pollution in the air as well as the food we eat release chemicals which are bad for out bodies. These chemicals cause damage to the collagen and elasticity in our skin which cause wrinkles and sagging skin. Antioxidants which are found in facial products and pills can protect and further damage to the skin.

Alpha hydroxyl acids come in many different forms. You can purchase them at any retail store and are found in creams and lotions. The product acts as an exfoliate to clear away dead skin cells. It is known as a peel and is a relatively mild formula.

Keep in mind, that you need to work on the inside out. If you exercise, drink plenty of water and watch your diet, you will age more gracefully than others. Try to avoid alcohol and caffeine as they will dry out your skin. Foods that contain vitamin E and C are rich in antioxidants and will help your skin.

You need to be good to yourself and your skin. The best cure is prevention. However, you can work towards aging gracefully, if you take steps towards healthy living and a healthy lifestyle.

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