Monday, 24th of August 2009 at 12:41:34 PMLosing weight can be a difficult process. This is mainly due to the fact that it involves changing your current habits and adopting a new lifestyle that can sometimes be difficult to cope with. Nevertheless, there are certain things you can include in your weight loss program that can help make the process a little easier and faster, such as providing your body with antioxidants.
Antioxidants remove free radicals from the body and help to improve metabolism and overall health. Berries are some of the most potent natural sources of antioxidants.
What are Antioxidants?
An antioxidant is a substance that reduces or prevents the process of oxidation by protecting the body’s cells from damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that are missing an electron. Our bodies are exposed to free radicals all the time. Some of the external sources of free radicals are radiation (e.g., from sun exposure or X-rays), ozone and nitrous oxide, heavy metals (i.e., mercury, cadmium, lead), smoke, alcohol, saturated fats, and other chemicals and pollutants. Our bodies also produce free radicals by carrying out essential activities, such as energy production and immunity. Free radicals are produced by our bodies even more when we exercise.
Do Antioxidants Enhance Weight Loss?
While it is clear antioxidants have a positive affect on our health and help to protect our cells, they do not directly themselves help you to lose weight. The role of antioxidants play in weight loss is that they provide the body with the nutritional support it needs to keep it strong and energized during the fat burning process.
How Our Bodies Burn Fat
To understand how antioxidants can help the weight loss process, you need to take a closer look at what occurs when we lose fat. While most people tend to look at fat as their enemy when they are overweight, it is imperative that you realize fat is necessary for our health. There are two types of fat:
1. Essential fat – necessary for many body functions including reproduction.
2. Storage fat – Essential for protecting some of the body’s organs.
The fat in our bodies is stored in our adipose tissue. This tissue contains lipids that are needed to transform nutrients into energy. Fat cells have many functions and one of them is to store toxins that are released throughout the digestive process. Thus, when you reduce the fat in your body, the amount of toxins in your body increases and this can result in some negative side effects. For instance, the extra toxins often affect the liver, causing it to work overtime to process and remove them. Moreover, when fat molecules are broken down, a process called oxidation, they release free radicals, which can result in cell, protein and DNA damage.
Oxidation occurs when free radicals (unstable atoms) attack cells to re-stabilize themselves. The re-stabilized atoms release more free radicals and the process continues like a chain reaction throughout the body until the free radicals are stopped. The body will create its own antioxidants to help stop the reaction, but often there is not enough, which is why ingesting foods or supplements rich in antioxidants can be beneficial to keeping your body strong during the fat-burning process.
Antioxidants Provide Nutritional Support
Thus, when you lose weight, you are not only shedding excess fat, you are also losing some of the nutrients in your body that are needed to maintain good health. Also, if you are exercising as part of your healthy weight loss program then your body will be creating even higher levels of toxic by-products. Therefore, antioxidants can help provide your body with the nutritional support it requires during the oxidation process, reducing the stress on your body and keeping energy levels and metabolism as high as possible.
It is important to keep in mind that the actual amount of weight loss that can be associated with taking antioxidants is still unknown. Likely, this amount fluctuates between individuals and the sources of the antioxidants you consume. From a health perspective, I tend to consume all of my antioxidants from fruits and vegetables, particularly berries. I choose these sources over taking pills because these natural sources also tend to be high in fiber, which is good for digestive health.
Sources of Antioxidants
Antioxidants can be found in specific vitamins and minerals and are in a variety of food sources, especially certain fruits and vegetables. They are also available in supplement form. Try adding a few of these antioxidant foods to your diet every day: cherries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, currants, pomegranate, grapes, oranges, plums, pineapple, kiwi fruits, grapefruits, apricots, prunes, dates, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, kale, red cabbage, peppers, parsley, artichoke, brussels sprouts, spinach, lemon, ginger, beets, broad beans, pinto beans, soybeans, barley, millet, oats, corn, cloves, cinnamon and oregano.
Other Related Posts and Articles You May Find Interesting: “Resveratrol Weight Loss Supplements Review“, “Weight Loss with Maqui Berry“, “Acai Berry Health Benefits“, and “Best Foods for Weight Loss“.
Its difficult to come across healthy weight loss blogs for real people like me trying to lose a few pounds! Thanks for another great post, i’ll stay tuned!
The term antioxidants is rather too broad.What antioxidant is useful for what biochemical reaction, the harm due to excess antioxidants need to be known. Anti oxidants can be counterproductive in some cases ,I forget what.What antioxidents useful in preventing diabetic retinopathy,cataracts,glaucoma and other condtions? Bilberry ext.is one I know for cataracts.Tumeric is good for alzheimer’s disease as it passes thru the Blood Brain Barrier; it destroys the amyloid plaques.This is then a natural cure for this disease. cinnamon has many insulin enhancing complexes that improves the efficiency of insulin by 20%.But does it increase the secretion of insulin or reduce insulin resistnce, I don’t know.
Can any one tell me if gingko biloba that reduces the insulin levels does it mean the blood sugar levels will go up? Because it is insulin that metabolizes sugars.without insulin then suar level must go up. Am I correct? I had reduced my blood sugar level from 9 mmol/L to 5.4 mmol/L It is a strong result. I was afraid it would bring down blood sugar down too low- to hypoglycaemia.Sam
It,s such a broad topic but easy to understand.Antioxidant prorect our bodies from free radical caused by exercise,exposure to radiation and oxidation and essential for weight loss. as indicated above it’s found in food that we eat and enjoy on daily basis including nuts,veges,fruits etc.also can prevent diseases and infection. it’s important we include this foods in our diet fro better health,sat 5 servings of fruits and 5 servungs of veges daily and we are good to go.PRINCESS NICE.
Hi I have a quick question. What weight loss program helps you detoxify and loss weight at a good rate?
what about 4g antioxidant tablet
any side effects?
Heya, I am 15 yrs old and 5 ft 1, weighing in at 98 pounds, and i’m trying to keep at a healthy weight and I always thought that antioidants were aids in soley weight loss (due to all the weight loss pills advertising them), and I found your article really useful and pretty good info to build on.