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Antioxidants
Nutrients or enzymes which 'scavenge' free radicals
by donating extra hydrogen electrons to them. This prevents the free
radicals from taking hydrogen electrons from molecules in body tissues
and damaging the tissues in the process. Vitamins A, C, E and
beta-carotene are the best known antioxidant nutrients, although another
carotene-like substance, lycopene (found in tomatoes), is now thought to
be superior to beta-carotene in quenching singlet oxygen. Zinc and
manganese are needed to form the antioxidant enzyme superoxide
dismutase, which combats the superoxide radical, and selenium is needed
to form the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase, which combats
hydrogen peroxide. The antioxidant enzyme catalase also combats hydrogen
peroxide.
Many flavonoids also have antioxidant action. The herb Ginkgo
biloba is a good source of antioxidant flavonoids known as
proanthocyanidins. The skins of black cherries, blueberries and
blackberries also contain proanthocyanidins. Extracts of bilberry contain flavonoids known as anthocyanosides, which have a
very powerful antioxidant activity - some say even more so than vitamins
C and E.
Other antioxidants include the flavonoid quercetin, the enzymes
methionine reductase and catalase, a substance found in liver known as
lipoic acid, and the vitamin-like substance coenzyme Q10.
Availability:
Antioxidant supplements are now widely available in health food shops,
pharmacies and through nutritional therapists.
Arachidonic acid
A polyunsaturated fatty acid of the omega 6 series
(see fats) which can be formed in the human body from dietary linoleic acid. It is a constituent of cell membranes and an immediate precursor to series 2 prostaglandins and leukotrienes, which are involved in many body functions such as blood vessel constriction, inflammation, pain and blood clotting. Not available as a food supplement.
Arame
A type of seaweed ('sea vegetable') used in
macrobiotic cookery.
Adapted from the Nutritional Health Bible by Linda Lazarides Download the whole database |
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