Essential Chemicals for Health
- Jul 2
- 3 min read
Chemicals. What a bad word. At least that is what we are typically led to believe.
In reality, there are numerous types of chemicals - some beneficial and some harmful.
Beneficial chemicals can be those that are absolutely necessary for health and the prevention of disease. These essential chemicals are found in the foods we eat in
everything thing from meat, fish, and eggs to leafy greens, dark fruits and olive oil.
Today, we will be covering the essential chemicals found in fruits and vegetables called Antioxidants. Antioxidants have been studied since the late 19th Century and were first thought to be useful for manufacturing. From a scientific perspective antioxidants are highly stable molecules that are able to donate electrons to neutralize free radicals ( the dangerous molecules that lead to tissue damage, aging, and disease - including cancer). Antioxidants can prevent or delay oxidative damage because they interact with free radicals interrupting the cell damaging chain reactions they cause (Lobo et al., 2010).
What does that mean?
When seeking to include more antioxidants in the diet it is important to do so through a varied and healthy diet that includes fruits and vegetables like:
Herbs and spices such as basil, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, oregano, turmeric. Additionally, black coffee, green tea, and dark chocolate are good sources of antioxidants (Carlsen et al., 2010)(Lourenço et al., 2019).
Well known vitamins happen to be powerful antioxidants with the potential for significant benefit to the body include:
Vitamin A: Present in sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, kale, cantaloupe, mangoes, and red bell peppers, vitamin A modulates the immune system and many decrease the severity of autoimmune disease. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that diets high in vitamin A and polyphenols prevented the development of Type I Diabetes in mice (Zunino et al., 2007).
Vitamin C: Present in berries and citrus fruit, Vitamin C may affect carcinogenesis and aid in preventing cancer, promote the immune response, blocks the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines, and speed up the detoxification of liver enzymes (Lobo et al., 2010).
Vitamin E: Present in Sunflower seeds and Almonds, vitamin E Increases the body’s resistance to bacterial infection and through several mechanisms may inhibit cancer growth and even induce cancer cell death.
Upon learning the benefits of antioxidants and the dangers of oxidative stress in the human body, one might be inclined to seek out supplements on the market that claim to be high in antioxidants or be a “pure source” of a desirable chemical. While this may be reasonable in some cases for vitamins that act as antioxidants, this may not be advisable for other antioxidants. For instance, the NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health warns against supplementing with Beta-Carotene because high doses may actually increase the risk for Lung Cancer and Cardiovascular Death and are not safe in high doses. Cancer patients are not recommended to take supplements as high levels of antioxidants have the adverse effect of protecting cancer tissue from oxidative stress (Thomme, 2024).
The NCCI cautions that supplements are not a replacement for a healthy diet (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, 2023).
The most practical and accessible way to begin eating a diet that is rich in antioxidants is through the Mediterranean diet. Recommended by major medical and educational institutions worldwide. The Mediterranean diet consists of fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, seeds, whole grains, red wine, olive oil, with fish, eggs, dairy and meat in moderation.
References:
Carlsen, M. H., Halvorsen, B. L., Holte, K., Bøhn, S. K., Dragland, S., Sampson, L., Willey, C., Senoo, H., Umezono, Y., Sanada, C., Barikmo, I., Berhe, N., Willett, W. C., Phillips, K. M., Jacobs, D. R., & Blomhoff, R. (2010). The total antioxidant content of more than 3100 foods, beverages, spices, herbs and supplements used worldwide. Nutrition Journal, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-9-3
Lobo, V., Patil, A., Phatak, A., & Chandra, N. (2010). Free radicals, Antioxidants and Functional foods: Impact on Human Health. Pharmacognosy Reviews, 4(8), 118–126. https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-7847.70902
Lourenço, S. C., Moldão-Martins, M., & Alves, V. D. (2019). Antioxidants of Natural Plant Origins: From Sources to Food Industry Applications. Molecules, 24(22), 4132. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24224132
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. (2023, July). Antioxidant Supplements: What You Need To Know. NCCIH. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/antioxidant-supplements-what-you-need-to-know
Thomme, G. V. (2024, August 6). What Are Free Radicals? A Dietitian Explains. MD Anderson Cancer Center; MD Anderson Cancer Center. https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/what-are-free-radicals-a-dietitian- explains.h00-159699912.html
Zunino, S. J., Storms, D. H., & Stephensen, C. B. (2007). Diets Rich in Polyphenols and Vitamin A Inhibit the Development of Type I Autoimmune Diabetes in Nonobese Diabetic Mice. The Journal of Nutrition, 137(5), 1216–1221. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/137.5.1216
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