ANTIOXIDANTS & PHYTOCHEMCIALS

ANTIOXIDANTS & PHYTOCHEMCIALS

 Over the past decades, evidence has been piling up higher than
Pike’s Peak that antioxidants are the key to preventing
cancer, heart disease, arthritis, and a host of other
conditions. in fact , all the diseases that have stumped the
medical establishment are now known to have a single,
underlying cause: the free radical.
 The villain is oxygen – the same element that causes wood to
burn and iron to rust. In your body, oxygen becomes harmful
when it’s combined into something called a free radical. All of
the cells in your body are made up of molecules- and free
radicals are like ravenous molecular sharks. The predators are
so hungry they last only millions of second’s before they make
a frenzied attack on a neighbour.
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 As the body’s cells use oxygen to produce energy, some highly

unstable molecules known as free radicals are produced. These are
atoms or molecules with missing electrons. They rush around
grabbling electrons from other molecules to stabilize themselves, in
the process creating new free radicals. An electron-grabbling chain
reaction starts that damages tissues and contributes to ageing and
degenerative disease. The “police” who put a stop to this are the
antioxidants, among which are vitamin E, C and beta carotene. Many
photochemicals are also powerful antioxidants- for example, lycopene,
the red pigment in tomatoes, strawberries and other red fruits, and
resveratrol, the red pigment in grape skin. They seek out the free
radicals and inactivate them- becoming inactivated themselves in the
process. For this reason a regular supply of antioxidants is needed, and
the best way is ensuring this is (of course) to eat a natural unrefined
plant diet.
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 You can see the visible effects of oxygen free radicals in everyday life.
When you cut an apple in half, for example, and the surface turns brown,
that’s caused by the attack of oxygen free radicals. Likewise, when butter
turns rancid or rust forms on the iron railing outside your house, you are
seeing oxygen free radicals in action.
 So far, scientists have named about 60 diseases that are known to be
associated with free radicals. Among them are heart diseases, cancer,
cataracts, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, parkisons and
alzheimers disease.  
 In the last 60 or so years, we have seen an avalanche of new free radicals
evolving in our environment. The hole in the ozone layer, pesticides, air
pollution and toxic chemicals are instigating free radical challenges to
your system every single day. And each puff on a cigarette in thought to
result in the creation of over 1017 free radicals. This means 10 with 17
zeros added on, a number so large we don’t have a name for it.
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 Scientists have proven that free radicals are the

instigators of atherosclerosis- the accumulation of
cholesterol on the inside of coronary arteries. They
believe that oxygen free radicals attack the bad kind of
cholesterol (LDL, Low –density Lipoprotein) and oxidize
it. It is this “Oxidized” form of LDL that is capable of
injuring the lining of the artery. As you would with a
crack in any wall, you want to make an attempt to patch it.
Inside your arteries, your body does this by attracting other
cells, globules of fat and more cholesterol, to do the job. And
so begins the accumulation of plaque that ultimately leads to
the narrowing of your arteries and coronary heart disease.
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 In one study from the University of Texas Southwest

Medical Centre in Dallas, a scientist by the name of
Ishwarlal Jialal , MD, gave a group of 24 healthy people 800
international Units of (IU) per day of vitamin E for a period
of three months . He found that the vitamin effectively
kept the LDL cholesterol from going bad. In other words,
this dietary antioxidant can help prevent atherosclerosis from
occurring. He studies two other antioxidants –vitamin A and
beta-carotene- to see if they would add to the protection
afforded by Vitamin E. He found that those two nutrients
taken in conjunction with vitamin E resulted in almost total
protection against LDL oxidation.
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 Some conditions caused by free radicals include:

1. Deterioration of the eye lens, which contributes to vision
loss.
2. Inflammation of the joints (arthritis).
3. Damage to nerve cells in the brain, which contributes to
conditions (such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease).
4. Acceleration of the ageing process.
5. Increased risk of coronary heart disease, since free
radicals encourage low-density lipoprotein (LDL)
cholesterol to stick to artery walls.
6. Certain cancers triggered by damaged cell DNA.
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 Good sources of specific antioxidants include:

 Allium sulphur compounds – leeks, onions and garlic
 Anthocyanins – eggplant, grapes and berries
 Beta-carotene – pumpkin, mangoes, apricots, carrots,
spinach and parsley
 Cryptoxanthins – red capsicum, pumpkin and mangoes
 Flavonoids –citrus fruits, onion and apples
 Indoles – cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage
and cauliflower
 Isoflavonoids – soybeans, tofu, lentils, peas and milk
 Lignans – sesame seeds, bran, whole grains and vegetables
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 Lutein – green, leafy vegetables like spinach, and corn

 Lycopene – tomatoes, pink grapefruit and watermelon
 Manganese – seafood, lean meat, milk and nuts
 Polyphenols – thyme and oregano
 Selenium – seafood, offal, lean meat and whole grains
 Vitamin A –sweet potatoes, carrots
 Vitamin C – oranges, blackcurrants, kiwifruit, mangoes,
broccoli, spinach, capsicum and strawberries
 Vitamin E – vegetable oils (such as wheatgerm oil),
avocados, nuts, seeds and whole grains
 Zinc – seafood and nuts
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 ANTIOXIDANTS & PHYTOCHEMCIALS

 
 Scientists know that immune cells are particularly
vulnerable to free radical induced damage, suppressing
your body’s ability to fight disease. Numerous studies
have backed up the theory that antioxidants have a
profound role in reversing that downhill trend and
increasing longevity. It’s been shown, for example, that
those who have the highest levels of antioxidants in
their systems have the lowest incidence of infections
and cancers, which is indicative of a healthy immune
system.
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Herbs that contains

  This is an excellent
antioxidant that is important
antioxidants in preventing and treating
1) Echinacea
heart disease. Pycnogenol is
2) Garlic
3) Ginger also recommended for
4) Rosemary varicose veins, oedema,
5) Thyme swelling of the legs,
6) Turmeric inflammation associated
7) Oregano with arthritis and sports
sage injuries, diabetes
8) Lemon balm retinopathy and memory
9)Pycnogenol (grapeseed Extract).
problems associated with
aging.
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 ANTIOXIDANTS & PHYTOCHEMCIALS

Phytochemical AKA Photochemical

Have you ever heard the saying “Eat a rainbow”?
Following this advice and eating a variety of colorful plant-based
foods is a great way to benefit from substances called
phytochemicals, in addition to a variety of nutrients such as
vitamins, minerals and fiber.
Much of the current evidence on the benefits of phytochemicals
has come from observing people who eat mainly plant-based diets.
These people have been shown to have significantly lower rates of
certain types of cancers and heart disease. Eating a diet that is
mostly plant-based is recommended by the American Institute for
Cancer Research.
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 They are chemicals that are only found in plants: plant

chemicals, compounds that give plants their special
characteristics including taste, smell, colour, and healing
properties. In the last few years many photochemical have
been discovered to have anticancer properties, and some
examples of these are the brasicca family-cabbage, broccoli,
Brussels sprouts, and so on; the carrot family which includes
celery, parsnips, parsley and coriander; and the onion and te
garlic family. They occur in fruits and grains as well, and
every plant food that has been studied so far contains
valuable health-promoting photochemical.
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Summary of Photochemical:
1) Present in all fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains
2) There are thousands of different photochemical that
exist but only few have been investigated
3) They provide natural color and flavor to the plants
4) They provide a defensive system for the plants
5) Antioxidants. Performs preventive and healing
functions within the body.
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Benefits of photochemical:
 
1) Help stop the formation of potential cancer-causing
substances (carcinogens)
2) Help stop carcinogens from attacking cells
3) Help cells stop and wipe out any cancer-like changes
4) Aid the function of the immune system.
5) Reduce inflammation.
6) Help regulate hormones.
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 Phytochemical
1) Carotenoids (beta carotene, lycopene)
2) Flavonoids
3) Anthocyanins
4) Isothiocyanates (sulforaphane)
5) Lutein and zeaxanthin
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 Foods
1) Cooked tomatoes, orange squash, carrots, sweet potatoes
and green plants, such as broccoli
2) Berries, apples, citrus fruits, soybeans, coffee, tea,
walnuts, whole grains
3) Berries
4) Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower and
kale
5) Dark, leafy greens, such as spinach and chard
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 Potential benefit
1) May inhibit cancer cell growth, reduce risk of
cardiovascular disease and boost immunity
2) May fight inflammation, decrease damage to DNA
and reduce tumor growth
3) May help lower blood pressure
4) May protect against cancer and cardiovascular disease
5) May promote eye health
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Key References:
1. Vibrant health, p. 71-74.
2. Reverse the single cause of almost all diseases,
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Br Kunselema
emmanuelkunselema@Yahoo.com
+265(0)994447420