Moringa oleifera is a plant base natural powerhouse for many of these antioxidants, especially the important vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, and the minerals (zinc, selenium). Researches have also discovered that the ratio of these nutrients are naturally well distributed for the human body to consume to maintain good health.
What are antioxidants? Antioxidants are a nutrient contained in our food that protects the cells from damage by free radicals. Free radicals are by-products produced when the body breaks down oxygen – antioxidants prevent or slow down damage caused by free radicals.
There are many antioxidants found in the food that are consumed, but the most important dietary antioxidants are:
· vitamin C;
· vitamin E;
· the carotenoids. and
· several minerals (zinc, selenium).
Fruits and vegetables are good sources of many antioxidants and research has shown that diets rich in these foods are associated with lower risk of such chronic diseases of cancer and heart disease. It is believed that a healthful diet maintains the antioxidants at or near optimal levels thus reducing the risk of tissue damage.
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(1) Zinc and Selenium
Zinc and selenium are two minerals that provide valuable sources of antioxidants. Zinc is vital for the immune system and its processes – namely for the regulation of white blood cell activity and production and natural killer cells that fight against cancer.
Selenium is another powerful antioxidant, although it is only required in small amounts. It protects the body by working together with vitamins C and E to prevent the damaging effects of free radicals, which lead to damage of the cells and cancer.
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(2) Vitamin E
Vitamin E is one of the principal nutrients which possess radical-quenching properties. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant, providing protection against free radicals that may cause cancer, and also reduces the harmful effects of exposure to harmful pollutants and chemicals.
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(3) Vitamin C
Just like vitamin E, vitamin C is the other principal nutrient that possesses radical-quenching properties. Like vitamin E, vitamin C is also a powerful antioxidant.
The most important difference between vitamin E and C stems from their different solubility in biological fluids. Vitamin C is water-soluble and is therefore especially found in the aqueous fractions of the cell and in body fluids whereas vitamin E is highly lipophilic and is found in membranes and lipoproteins.
As an antioxidant, vitamin C protects against free radicals, produced when the body converts food into energy. Free radicals contribute towards heart disease, arthritis and cancer, and the aging process can be attributed to the increase of free radicals.
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(4) Beta-Carotene and other Carotenoids
Foods high in carotenoids provide protection against the damaging properties of free radicals and accelerates the functioning of the reproductive system. Carotenoids are naturally occurring pigments present in, and are responsible for, the red, yellow and orange pigments in fruits and vegetables and are also present in dark green vegetables.
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Why we need Antioxidants!
Free radicals are a product of tissue metabolism, and the potential damage which they can cause is influenced by the antioxidant capacity and repair mechanism within the cell. It is therefore important to have adequate dietary intake of antioxidant nutrients so that damage to tissue will be minimized and if it does occur, will consequently be repaired.
Fruits and vegetables like Moringa Oleifera are an important source of such antioxidant nutrients and consuming generous amounts of these foods have a lower risk of chronic disease than those whose intake is small.
Occasionally, free radical damage may occur that is not repaired, and the risk of this happening may increase in the presence of infection or physical trauma. When such damage occurs and is not repaired, such effects may exacerbate an established infection or may initiate irreversible changes leading to a state of chronic disease. Whether or not such effects can be minimized by a generous intake of dietary antioxidants in the form of fruits and vegetables or supplements are not studied.
It is recognized that certain groups of people have increased risk of free radical-initiated damage:
· prematured infants;
· people who smoke and those who work in the vicinity of smokers;
· people abusing alcohol;
Some studies have shown that health benefits can be obtained by some people with higher risk of disease from consuming supplemented antioxidant nutrients. However, such consumption of individual supplements at high dosage generally result in a pharmacologic effect on the person so consumption has its risk in high doses.
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