Author: Vicki Parsons

One of the hottest topics in the natural foods industry is antioxidants, probably because they play a critical role in preventing damage that plays a significant role in initiating chronic degenerative diseases like atherosclerosis, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s as well as speeding up the plain old (pun intended!) process of aging. Oxidative stress is a natural process that occurs as cells produce energy. Free radicals, a by-product of this process, damage cells (including DNA) and tissue. The problem occurs when the body’s resources for quenching these free radicals or repairing the damage they cause aren’t adequate. Antioxidants are in many foods, and many of the health benefits of foods like blueberries, broccoli, and cranberries are directly related…

Overview Antioxidants are compounds that protect cells against reactive oxygen cells – or free radicals -- in the body. Although they are created as part of the body’s normal metabolic functions, free radicals react with other cells and interfere with their ability to function. Free radicals play a role in many health conditions, ranging from cancer and atherosclerosis to wrinkles caused by too much sun. Ongoing research in universities around the world details the antioxidant compounds in neem as well as their impact on animals with chemically induced cancers. A single study reported in LifeSciences indicates that antioxidant compounds in neem helped to prevent brain damage in rats who had suffered a stroke by enhancing lipid peroxidation and increasing ascorbic…