Along with the immune system, antioxidants are one of the primary ways our bodies fight disease. Unlike immune cells, however, antioxidants are primarily found in the diet. Our bodies harvest these chemicals from a variety of sources, such as vitamins and other nutritional compounds found in food. Let’s take a look at some of the most plentiful chemical sources of antioxidants, so that we can better seek these out in the meals we eat every day.

Antioxidants From Vitamins

Vitamins are chemicals that the body needs to operate. For the most part, essential vitamins can not be produced in the body, or at least not in the quantities necessary to preserve life. Therefore, vitamins must be sourced from outside the body, and food is the easiest way to make this happen.

Vitamins have many roles in the body, and a number function as antioxidants. These include vitamins A, C, and E. Vitamin A can be found in foods like liver, carrots, and egg yolks. Vitamin C is found in foods like citrus fruits. Vitamin E is found in nuts, vegetable oils, legumes, and grains.

Some antioxidants are derived directly from vitamins. For example, benfotiamine is made from vitamin B1 with plants and animals. Benfotiamine may be converted within the body. This conversation may also occur in a plant or animal, entering the body of a human when it consumes these as food.

Antioxidants From Other Chemicals

There are many other nutrients and chemicals that, while not vitamins themselves, provide essential antioxidant activity within the human body. Like vitamins, most of these are also consumed as food. There are hundreds of examples.

One important antioxidant chemical is astaxanthin. A natural pigment found in fish, shrimp, algae, and yeast, astaxanthin decreases oxidative stress as a powerful antioxidant. Other examples include manganese (found in seafood, lean meat, milk, and nuts), beta-carotene (found in pumpkin, fruits, spinach, and parsley), various flavonoids (found in tea, citrus, onions, and apples), and lutein (found in leafy vegetables).

Sourcing Antioxidants

There are two primary methods we use to sourcing antioxidant vitamins and compounds in our diets. One or both of these methods may give you the results you are looking for. The first is by finding antioxidants through a balanced diet, rich in natural foods. The other is to supplement your diet with antioxidants, using bioavailable supplement products from Metagenics, Premier Research labs, and other trusted sources.

Wherever you get your antioxidants, it’s important to understand what effects these powerful chemicals are likely to have in your body. Unlike what we normally think of as “medicine,” antioxidants are more useful for prevention than healing (though they can heal, as well!). Antioxidants work to make the body work as it should. Ideally, someone who is already healthy will consume plenty of antioxidants, thus ensuring that their bodies continue to operate as desired for a long time to come.

However, people who are ill may still derive benefit from antioxidants. It takes time, exercise, and proper nutrition to turn the tide in an unhealthy body. It’s a process that may take months or years. And while antioxidants alone are unlikely to transform someone very ill into the picture of health, they can work in cooperation with other healthy nutrients and practices to make a real difference, even in someone who is very unwell.

Therefore, antioxidants, in the form of vitamins or other compounds, should be of interest to any reader. Antioxidants are essential to normal body function, so all of us should have a plan to consume our fill of these life-giving chemicals. See to it that you get more than enough antioxidants for the job, and your body will do the rest.