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Anti oxidants are now recognized as an important tool in the journey to health, join us as we discover the African plants that produce anti oxidants and how they work.
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Article Summary:
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Never before has the human race been in greater need of anti oxidants.
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The process which is know
as oxidative stress, causes cell damage that can ultimately result in diseases
such as cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer's disease. Part of this damaging
process is caused by free radicals - oxygen molecules which are created as
byproducts of the oxidation process.
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The job of the antioxidant is to loan these thirsty
antioxidants an electron thus neutralize the free radical but without becoming
a free radical in the process.
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Mother Nature creates anti oxidants as compounds in certain plants.
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Rooibos has gained its fame as an herbal tea because it is
caffeine free, low in tannins and rich in flavonoids which hold powerful
antioxidant properties.
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Honeybush is processed in much the same way as Rooibos and
has also been found to have "free radical capturing compounds".
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Sutherlandia and the Wild Olive tree are also producers of
antioxidants.
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A great deal has been said about antioxidants in recent
years. Marketers have latched on to the idea like fleas to an arthritic dog; eagerly
reminding us that we can find antioxidants in teas, skin creams and even dog
food. It's only a matter of time before we will be buying dishwashing detergent
and toothpaste with added antioxidants. Of course, antioxidants have been
around a lot longer than our health concerned marketers. Apart from certain
vitamins such as vitamins C and E, the botanical world has been producing
antioxidants for millennia in a variety of forms. Where the marketing world is
right, is that never before has the human race been in greater need of these
heath restoring photochemicals.
On a day to day basis we are subject to a range of cell
damaging influences; cell phones and computers produce microwave radiation, our
foods are often cooked in overheated cooking oil and of course our life giving
sunlight consists of high quantities of skin damaging ultraviolet light. This
constant internal and external onslaught on the body's cells causes a process
called oxidation, to put in motor vehicle terms - we rust! More specifically, this
process is which is know as oxidative stress, causes cell damage that can
ultimately result in diseases such as cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer's
disease. Part of this damaging process is caused by free radicals - oxygen
molecules which are created as byproducts of the oxidation process. These
unstable molecules are like a thirsty traveler arriving in town and stopping
off at the first bar for a desperate drink. Free radicals arrive in our body
with a need to find a stabilizing electron, which they do by borrowing
electrons from our body's cells. This electron thievery causes destabilizing
chain reactions amounting to cellular damage and disease. The job of the
antioxidant is to loan these thirsty antioxidants an electron thus neutralize
the free radical but without becoming a free radical in the process.
Fortunately, Mother Nature has stepped in a provided us with
a helping hand by creating plant made antioxidants, which we can gain through
the process of digestion or even transfer from the skin. Many of these
antioxidants come in the form of secondary metabolites, which are non essential
compounds found in plants with special functions such as protecting the plant
from insect attack. In this respect the
African plant world has its own unique offerings.
Rooibos also known as Aspalathus linearis is a green stick
like shrub that grows uniquely in the dry
Western Cape
area of
South Africa.
The plant has gained its fame as an herbal tea because it is caffeine free, low
in tannins and rich in flavonoids which hold powerful antioxidant properties. Traditionally
Rooibos has been used as a soothing herbal tea for digestive disorders such as
colic in children but more recently it is the cancer fighting properties that
Rooibos hold that has triggered the attention of researchers. It seems Rooibos
tea is not only a cancer fighter, but also protects the DNA in the body's cells[ii].
Rooibos (red bush) was named after its red appearance, which gains its rich
colour by piling cut leaves and twigs in a stack and allowing them to ferment
in a process called sweating. An unfermented green version of Rooibos is now
commercially available which is said to contain even more antioxidants than the
red version.
A similar tea to Rooibos is Honeybush, so named because of its
honey-like aroma and flavour. Honeybush is processed in much the same way as
Rooibos and has also been found to have "free radical capturing"[iii]
compounds making it an enjoyable antioxidant replacement for conventional tea.
While the two above mentioned plants are
South Africa's most famous
antioxidant producers there are others including Sutherlandia and the
picturesque Wild Olive tree (Olea europaea). Sutherlandia contains a range of
amino acids which make it an immune booster and a cancer fighter. However, what drew researchers to investigate
Sutherlandia as an antioxidant is its reported ability to function as an
anti-inflammatory, a common characteristic of antioxidants. The study showed
that Sutherlandia is in fact an effective scavenger of free radicals, in
addition to its other health promoting qualities[iv].
Wild olive has in recent years become a popular immune booster in the form of
extracts made from the leaves. While traditionally this tree is used for blood
pressure disorders and even for eye lotionsii;
it has also been found to carry antispasmodic and strong antioxidant
properties, which probably contributes it as an effective immune booster.
Tips for utilizing
antioxidants:
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Never add milk to your herbal tea as it neutralizes the
antioxidant quality of the tea.
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Supplement your diet with antioxidant supporting minerals
such as selenium and zinc.
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Increase your intake of dark green vegetables, such as
broccoli or green pepper.
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Boil, bake or stream your food while avoiding foods that are
deep fried in damaged free radical rich oils.
Click here to purchase an anti oxidant product containing Sutherlandia, Alpha lipoic acid, selenium and more
Click here to purchase a high quality Olive leaf extract
Click here to purchase a product containing the Anti oxidant - Fulvic acid
[ii] http://www.mrc.ac.za//promec/antimutagenic.htm
[iii]
Van Wyk, Van Oudtshoorn, Gericke. 1997. Medicinal Plants of
South Africa. Briza
Publications.
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