For antioxidants, go straight to the source
Popping a pill to increase antioxidants in your body apparently doesn't work as
well as eating the fruits and vegetables that contain them naturally.
And what works even better, researchers claim, is mixing the natural foods together.
Dietary antioxidants are considered beneficial because they slow the chemical process
of oxidation, which causes cholesterol deposits and narrowing of the arteries and
can lead to various heart-related problems. A variety of fruits, vegetables and
herbs contain antioxidants - including onions, tomatoes, garlic, rosemary, grapes
and pomegranates - but antioxidant supplements also have been developed.
However, supplements don't work as well, according to laboratory tests at the Technion-Israel
Institute of Technology, because they generally contain only one specific antioxidant.
Fruits and vegetables, on the other hand, contain a range of antioxidants that work
together synergistically, the researchers say.
And, they add, combinations of certain antioxidants produce better results than
when those same antioxidants are ingested separately.
Vitamin E, for instance, has a stronger effect when it's obtained in a tomato rather
than alone because, the researchers say, tomatoes also contain beta carotene, lycopene
and some flavonoids, which interact with the vitamin E for increased benefit."