What are antioxidants?
An antioxidant is a molecule that inhibits the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that can lead to further reactions that may damage cells. Antioxidants help prevent or stop cell damage caused by oxidants.
Antioxidants are naturally found in many plant-based foods. While there are thousands of antioxidant compounds, some common ones found in foods include favanols (found in chocolate), resveratrol (found in wine) and lycopene (found in tomatoes). Other popular antioxidants include vitamins A (beta-carotene), C, E and catechins.
