Antioxidant Polyphenois
Are you always tired? Do you run out
of energy before you run out of day? Do you work long hours? If your
answers are in the affirmative then what you need is antioxidant
polyphenois.
In order for our body to function
normally, it needs oxygen for metabolism and oxidation. During the
oxidation process, your body converts fats and glucose into heat and
energy for its own use. But as useful oxidation can be, that doesn’t
discount the fact that it also results in the production of harmful
byproducts called free radicals. These compounds are actually oxygen
molecules which contain an odd number of electrons, a condition
which forces them to react with other molecules. The result is a
chain reaction of free radicals that eventually leads to cell
damage.
Free radicals are the reason why you
feel tired easily, why your muscles ache after exerting yourself.
Although lactic acid is often the culprit when it comes to muscle
pain, free radicals also play a contributing factor.
The one substance that can counteract
the action of free radicals is antioxidant polyphenois. Antioxidant
polyphenois are chemical compounds that are naturally found in
plants. Their function is to hunt down free radicals and neutralize
them. In so doing, they not only prevent free radicals from causing
damage but repair any damages that might have been incurred already.
There are a number of plants that
contain antioxidant polyphenois but none contain quite as much as
camellia sinensis. This plant is the same plant where you get your
favorite brewed drink – tea. Oolong tea, black tea, and green tea
all come from camellia sinensis. The three tea types are rich
sources of antioxidant polyphenois but the richest is green tea.
Scientists say that it has something to do with how green tea is
prepared. While in oolong and black tea, the leaves are allowed to
completely oxidize, in green tea, the leaves are only half-oxidized,
thus leaving many of the beneficial antioxidant polyphenois intact
and potent.
Besides antioxidant polyphenois,
green tea also contains xanthines which also have antioxidant
properties. These xanthines include theobromine and theophylline
which act as natural stimulants and have analgesic enhancing and
lipolytic (fat-burning) properties. In addition, green tea is also
rich in catechins and of course the antioxidant polyphenois.
Besides camellia sinensis, there are
several other plants that contain a good concentration of
antioxidant polyphenois. These are malva silvestris, elettaria
cardamomum, and hibiscus sabdariffa. For malva silvestris, dried
leaves are used in order for the antioxidant polyphenois to exhibit
its potency.
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Antioxidants
