There are substances that prevent oxidation. It is a little like applying some lime juice to some freshly cut apples in order to prevent it from turning brown. They provide the necessary platform to either prevent oxidation or prevent the process from propagating into an uncontrolled “chain reaction”. There are many anti-oxidants. Common ones that would come to mind immediately are vitamins C and E as well as minerals like selenium.

Indeed, it has been demonstrated that giving people ridiculously low levels of these substances can reduce heart disease and stall cancer. Natural or synthetic The big battle raging in nutritional circles is: which is better – antioxidants made in the laboratory or the ones made by Mother Nature. While chemically derived antioxidants are newer and made to sound somewhat sexier, the majesty of Nature has and never will be equal.

The supplement industry churns out isolated chemical molecules and spends many resources to show them to be equal or even more effective than Nature. However, antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables have protected us from the beginning. Indeed, fruits and vegetables still continue to do so for the animal kingdom.

There are now supplements that pack a couple of fruits and vegetables in a capsule. These plants are grown and the vine ripened. They are then roller dried to remove the water, salt, sugar and fibre. What is left is the good stuff – plant nutrients that are both known and unknown. This gives you a powerful rainbow of protective as well as synergistic antioxidants.

Natural antioxidants found in Nature are simply superior on the following grounds: Full spectrum – they pack all known and yet to be discovered nutrients Synergy – nature arranges them like the notes of a piece of music Right amounts – you do not need much as long as you have the minimum amounts in the right ratios.

Figure 1

"Example of Freshly Cut Apple - Use lime juice as Antioxidant to protect it from turning into brown color"