Posts Tagged ‘antioxidant’

Green tea has been touted for various health benefits (such as fighting against heart disease and cancer) largely due to it’s high level of antioxidants called catechins. Now, Chinese scientists have found that the catechins appear to be able to penetrate into the tissues of the eyes, especially into the retina, which is the light-sensing tissue that lines the back of the eye. The study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, demonstrated that this antioxidant activity can last for up to 20 hours after drinking green tea extract. The authors theorize that the readily absorbed antioxidants help to protect the delicate tissues of the eye from glaucoma and other eye diseases. However, it must be noted that East Asians experience the highest rate of blindness from one common type of glaucoma, despite being among the largest consumers of green tea. Therefore, further studies will definitely be needed to confirm any protective ocular effects of green tea in humans. [Via WebMD]

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You’ll likely be hearing (if not already) juice makers and berry growers tout the benefits of blueberry juice on memory. For the first time researchers have shown that a few daily glasses of blueberry juice can boost memory in older adults with early signs of memory loss. Blueberries, like tomatoes, grapes and tea, contain polyphenols which are known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, it’s theorized that these substances can combat oxidative stresses that can lead to cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. The recent study is published in the current issue of the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. However, it must be noted that the researchers only studied a total of 18 patients – 9 were given blueberry juice and 9 given placebo – making this an extremely small study which may not necessarily extrapolate to an entire population of people. Therefore, the jury is still out on this one. Although drinking blueberry juice will likely not worsen your memory, there are other means that have been shown to slow memory loss, including keeping mentally active, exercise, cultivating a strong social network, stopping smoking, and getting plenty of sleep. [via Medical News Today]

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The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences report today that vitamin C and vitamin E supplements may counteract the beneficial affects of exercise on diabetes and glucose metabolism. The University of Jena and Harvard University study shows that exercise induces bursts of free radicals that cause our body to activate and metabolize carbohydrates more efficiently, which can prevent type 2 diabetes and other conditions that may lead to stroke, coronary artery disease and kidney failure. Mitigating these free radicals with antioxidant vitamins could, therefore, block the health effects conferred by exercise.

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Turmeric powder has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine for its various medicinal properties, including as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibiotic. Because of these purported effects, scientists have been studying the active ingredient in turmeric, curcumin. Reporting in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, University of Michigan researchers have discovered that molecules of curcumin can actually insert themselves into the membranes of our cells, thus making the membranes more stable. This may have effects on the way our cells respond to inflammation and infections. For now, the mechanism of action of curcumin, in its entirety, remains a mystery but we are one step closer because of this discovery.

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The health benefits of olive oil has been well documented. The US Food and Drug Administration says consuming 2 tablespoons of olive oil each day may reduce your risk of coronary heart disease. However, the time your olive oil sits on the shelf may reduce it’s health benefit potential. Researchers at the University of Foggia in Italy analyzed a variety of olive oils and found that after 6 months of shelf life, almost all of the oils had a 40% reduction in antioxidant activity level. That certainly doesn’t mean the bottle should go into the trash. The benefits of olive oil is attributed to its high content of monounsaturated fats, in addition to antioxidants.

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This week British scientists announced the production of a genetically engineered purple tomato they hope someday will help to fight cancer. The tomato is purple due to its high levels of anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant found in berries such as blackberries and blackcurrants that have been shown to lower risk of cancer, heart disease and some neurological diseases. Not to be outdone, researchers at Rice University in Houston are working on a beer that can also be used to fight cancer and heart disease. Their secret ingredient is resveratrol, the antioxidant found in red wine that is supposedly responsible for the positive effects of the brew. The researchers believe they can make a beer that contains higher and more consistent concentrations of the cancer-fighting chemical. Learn how resveratrol works here.

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After David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD was diagnosed with brain cancer 16 years ago he set out to find foods that would nourish his body in its fight against cancer. After meeting with researchers and experts and pouring himself over databases of medical journals he has come up with some foods he’s found to be great anti-cancer agents.  Says Dr. Servan-Schreiber, “I’ve learned that the anticancer diet is the exact opposite of the typical American meal: mostly colorful vegetables and legumes, plus unsaturated fats (olive, canola, or flaxseed oils), garlic, herbs, and spices.” Among this list: ginger, turmeric, green tea, pomegranate, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, Chinese cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, leeks, shallots, chives, soy, citrus fruits, strawberries, dark chocolate. However, didn’t we already know that eating fresh vegetables and fruits is healthy for our bodies?  It seems that when it comes to food, it’s extremely difficult to change the way we eat.

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How many times have you heard that red wine is good for your health? We know that polyphenols (powerful antioxidants that are believed to be protective against cancer and heart disease) are abundant in red wine. But how they exert their beneficial influence was a mystery – until now. New research led by Dr. Joseph Kanner of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has shown that polyphenols can act inside the stomach to reduce the formation of malondialdehyde, toxic byproducts produced during digestion of meats and high-fat foods. Based on these results, Dr Kanner and his colleagues argue that previous research looking for antioxidants from wine in the bloodstream was a mistake. They do not need to be in the blood to be useful. They just need to be in the stomach at the time the toxic metabolites are produced. Therefore, they recommend drinking wine with your meals. Their research also suggests that eating fruit at the end of a meal is a healthy habit since fruits are rich in polyphenols. Full story.

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