Health & Wellness, Nutrition
Antioxidants – Plant-Derived and Endogenous Treasures
Plant-derived antioxidants and those produced internally serve as our defenders, exhibiting an anti-aging effect.
Learning about the importance of antioxidant fruits and plants is vital.
The human body obtains antioxidants from vegetables, fruits, herbs, and other plants, while also producing its own antioxidants internally.
Did you know that, of all mammals, humans and porcupines cannot produce vitamin C, an important antioxidant?
Perhaps our ancestors were consuming too many plants, fruits, and berries, and a genetic mutation occurred. The body is intelligent. If it receives enough resources from the outside, it stops internal production.
Vitamin D is made in the body through the contact of the UV rays with the cholesterol in the skin. Stay outdoors 15-30 minutes a day and allow the sun to tan your skin. No sunscreen!
We produce melatonin, an essential antioxidant, particularly when exposed to sunlight, specifically in the morning when the sun’s rays hit the retina of the eye.
So much to talk about antioxidants and how we can have a long and healthy life.
This process drives aging, inflammation, heart disease, cancer, and neurodegeneration.
The body relies on exogenous (external) antioxidants from plants and endogenous antioxidants produced internally.
Here is a concise overview that covers sources, mechanisms, and synergy.
Plant-Derived Antioxidants
Plants produce antioxidants to combat UV, pathogens, and herbivores. Humans consume them via fruits, vegetables, nuts, tea, and spices.
|
Compound
|
Key Sources
|
Mechanism & Role
|
|---|---|---|
|
Vitamin C
|
Citrus, berries, kiwi, peppers, broccoli
|
Water-soluble; scavenges ROS (·OH, O₂⁻), regenerates vitamin E, supports immunity. Daily need: 75–90 mg.
|
|
Vitamin E
|
Nuts, seeds, spinach, oils
|
Fat-soluble; stops lipid peroxidation in membranes, protects LDL. Regenerated by vitamin C.
|
|
Polyphenols
|
Berries, tea (EGCG), onions, turmeric (curcumin), coffee
|
Scavenge radicals, chelate metals, activate Nrf2 to boost endogenous enzymes. Low bioavailability; gut metabolites active.
|
|
Carotenoids
|
Carrots (β-carotene), tomatoes (lycopene), kale (lutein)
|
Quench singlet oxygen; protect eyes (AMD) and prostate. β-carotene is provitamin A.
|
Impact: High intake (e.g., Mediterranean diet) cuts cardiovascular risk 20–30%. Excess β-carotene supplements raise lung cancer risk in smokers.
Eat a colorful diet rich in fruits, vegetables, pulses, nuts, seeds, and other whole foods to obtain all the essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants.
Having a bland and limited diet, with the same foods repeated every day or only cooked foods, can deplete your body and lead to dis-ease.
Our body produces Endogenous Antioxidants.
The body synthesizes antioxidants both enzymatically and non-enzymatically, a process regulated by the Nrf2-ARE pathway.
Enzymatic
- SOD: Converts O₂⁻ → H₂O₂ (3 isoforms: cytosol, mitochondria, extracellular).
- Catalase: Breaks down H₂O₂ → H₂O + O₂ (peroxisomes).
- Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx): Uses GSH to reduce H₂O₂ and lipid peroxides (Se-dependent).
- Thioredoxin/Peroxiredoxins: Reduce disulfides and H₂O₂.
Non-Enzymatic
- Glutathione (GSH): Main cellular reductant; GSH/GSSG ratio senses redox state.
- Coenzyme Q10: Mitochondrial electron carrier; regenerates vitamin E.
- Uric acid, bilirubin, and melatonin: Scavenges ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species that oxidize our cells); melatonin crosses the blood-brain barrier.
- Metal binders (ferritin, ceruloplasmin) prevent Fe/Cu-catalyzed ROS.
Synergy
- Plant antioxidants spare and regenerate endogenous ones (e.g., vitamin C → vitamin E).
- Polyphenols (sulforaphane, curcumin) upregulate SOD, GPx, and catalase via Nrf2.
- Diet + lifestyle (exercise, sleep) optimizes both systems.
Practical Takeaways
- Eat 5–9 servings of colorful fruits and vegetables daily: Eat rainbow vegetable and/or fruit salads every day. Add dark fruits, berries, grapes, plums, etc.
Opt for dark, leafy veggies and colorful fruits and vegetables in red, orange, green, violet, and indigo hues.
Add clean, organic dandelion leaves from your garden, wild arugula, parsley, dill, garlic, and onion to your meals.
Add a good dressing made of olive oil, citrus juice, or apple cider vinegar to your salads. The oil and the acetic or citric acid help with the absorption of nutrients. - So does black pepper.
Chew well and enjoy your meals in peace and harmony. DO NOT eat when you are upset or if you fight with someone, as your digestion slows down.
Green leafy vegetables from the store are less nutritious (caused by depleted soil or the fact that most are grown hydroponically) - Avoid high-dose single supplements. A study shows that supplements do not prolong life; in fact, they may even shorten it. Take them if you have a deficiency and use food as a source, if possible.
- Moderate exercise boosts Mn-SOD; overtraining depletes GSH. Everything in moderation!
Sources
- Sies, H. (2015). Redox Biology, 4, 180–183.
- Halliwell & Gutteridge (2015). Free Radicals in Biology and Medicine (5th ed.).
- AREDS2 Research Group (2013). JAMA, 309(19), 2005–2015.
- Estruch, R., et al. (2018). NEJM, 378(25), e34.
- NIH ODS Fact Sheets: Vitamins C, E.
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