The Hype About Antioxidants

Antioxidants have been on the "hot" list of disease prevention "must-haves" for many years now. Supplement manufacturers have jumped at the opportunity to bottle something that the masses want to buy. The unfortunate situation for the consumer is the fact that there is no conclusive evidence to show that any of these antioxidant supplements actually have a beneficial effect to our health. In fact, the meta-analyses of studies done are showing just the opposite, antioxidant supplements may cause harm.

In his best selling book, The Paleo Diet, Dr. Loren Cordain, Ph.D. explains how our genetic make-up is identical to our ancestors of the Stone Age, yet our diet has radically changed. Our bodies are designed to thrive on fresh fruits, vegetables, berries, lean meat and fish. The fruits, vegetables and berries are the source of thousands of micro-nutrients, including all the antioxidants that are now being "discovered". The key difference is that the antioxidants in the whole food are in miniscule amounts, and work synergistically with each other and the other micro-nutrients (phytochemicals, enzymes, vitamins, minerals). The body absorbs these nutrients, and, as a symphony orchestra plays together to make beautiful music, the nutrients work together to allow the body to build healthier cells.

You can get all the antioxidants you need from whole food sources. The challenge is to eat more of and a wider variety of fruits and vegetables.