How Antioxidants Prevent Cancer? FAQ Explained By Cancer Expert
One of the most asked questions by patients, ‘How Antioxidants Prevent cancer?’ Well, let’s find out the answer for it.
Antioxidants are substances that may secure your cells against infections that might be caused to you unwantedly by free radicals.
Free radicals are unstable and reactive molecules ,produced naturally by body as a result of a process called Oxidation, when exposed to harmful toxins in day to day life. These toxins could be exposure to harmful UV rays, smoking tobacco, industrial pollution.
Free radicals play an important role in the process of normal cellular and are naturally formed in the body. However, at high concentrations these can be hazardous and damage all major cell components including DNA, proteins and cell membranes. Damaging cell, especially DNA by free radicals plays a role in cancer development and other health conditions like cardiovascular problems and inflammatory diseases & cataract.
Would antioxidants be able to forestall malignancy?
There is much research done on the question of whether antioxidants prevent cancer. To come to a perfect conclusion is difficult but according to the research we have come across, antioxidants are definitely good for your body as they will definitely help you improve your health and will forestall cancer.
Also Read: Types Of Cancer Rehabilitation In India
How is cancer prevented by antioxidants?
Antioxidants interact and neutralise free radicals which prevents them from causing damage. Antioxidants are also known as “free radical scavengers.”
The body makes some of the antioxidants that it uses to neutralise free radicals. These antioxidants are called endogenous antioxidants.
The body relies on external (exogenous) sources, primarily the diet, to obtain the rest of the antioxidants it needs. These exogenous antioxidants are commonly called dietary antioxidants.
Certain foods that contain antioxidants are:
• Beta-Carotene – pumpkin, mangoes, apricots, carrots, spinach and parsley
• Lutein – green, leafy vegetables like spinach, and corn
• Lycopene – tomatoes, pink grapefruit and watermelon
• Selenium – seafood, lean meat and whole grains
• Vitamin A – liver, sweet potatoes, carrots, milk, and egg yolks
• Vitamin C – oranges, kiwifruit, mangoes, broccoli, spinach, capsicum and strawberries
• Vitamin E – vegetable oils, avocados, nuts, seeds and whole grains
• Zinc – seafood, lean meat, milk and nuts
These foods are recommended to gain antioxidants which help in tracking down free radicals. Also, they neutralise the harmful effects of free radicals which helps in keeping more cells healthy and less susceptible to becoming cancerous.
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