Food Rich in Antioxidants Cancer Prevention

Hello readers, I found this article informative and I decided to excerpt part of the lengthy write up from lifescript to share on this blog.  Antioxidants are substances that may protect cells from the damage caused by free unstable molecules known as free radicals. Free radical damage may lead to cancer. 
xamples of antioxidants include beta-carotene; lycopene; vitamins C, E, and A; and other substances. 

How might antioxidants prevent cancer? 
Antioxidants interact with and stabilize free radicals, which are the natural by-product of normal cell processes. Exposure to various environmental factors, including cigarette smoke and radiation, can also generate free radicals. But the most common form of free radicals isoxygen. 

Free radicals try to steal electrons from other molecules, causing damage to the DNA and other molecules. Over time, such damage may become irreversible and lead to disease, including cancer. 

Atioxidants are often described as “mopping up” free radicals, meaning they neutralize the electrical charge and prevent the free radical from taking electrons from other molecules. 

Which foods are rich in antioxidants? 
Antioxidants are abundant in fruits and vegetables, as well as in nuts, grains, and some meats, poultry and fish. Here’s a list of common antioxidants and their food sources:

• Beta-carotene is found in many foods that are orange, including sweet potatoes, carrots, cantaloupe, squash, apricots, pumpkin and mangos. Some leafy green vegetables—including collard greens, spinach and kale—are also rich in beta-carotene.


• Lutein, best known for its association with healthy eyes, is abundant in leafy green vegetables, such as collard greens, spinach and kale.


• Lycopene is a potent antioxidant found in tomatoes, watermelon, guava, papaya, apricots, pink grapefruit, blood oranges and other foods. It’s estimated that Americans get 85% of their lycopene from tomatoes and tomato products.


• Selenium is a mineral, not an antioxidant nutrient. However, it’s a part of antioxidant enzymes. Plant foods like rice and wheat are the major dietary sources of selenium in most countries. The amount of selenium in a food depends on how much selenium is in the soil where the food was grown. Animals that eat grains or plants grown in selenium-rich soil have higher levels of selenium in their muscle. In the U.S., meats and bread are common sources of dietary selenium. Brazil nuts are also rich in selenium.


• Vitamin A is found in three main forms: vitamin A1, vitamin A2, and vitamin A3. Foods rich in vitamin A include liver, sweet potatoes, carrots, milk, egg yolks and mozzarella cheese.


• Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, can be found in high abundance in many fruits and vegetables and is also found in cereals, beef, poultry and fish.


• Vitamin E is found in almonds; in many oils, such as wheat germ, safflower, corn and soybean oils; and in mangos, nuts, broccoli and other foods.

Culled from Lifescript