There’s a fine line between getting enough of those nutrients (which is healthy) and getting an excessive amount (which can find yourself harming you). Eating a healthy diet remains the simplest thanks to getting sufficient amounts of the vitamins and minerals you would like.

Essential nutrients for your body
But to try and do all this, your body requires some raw materials. These include a minimum of 30 vitamins, minerals, and dietary components that your body needs but cannot manufacture on its own in sufficient amounts. Vitamins and minerals are considered essential nutrients—because acting mutually, they perform many roles within the body. they assist hold bones, heal wounds, and bolster your system. But trying to stay track of what these vitamins and minerals do will be confusing. Read enough articles on the subject, and your eyes may swim with the alphabet-soup references to those nutrients, which are known mainly by their initials.

A closer have a look at antioxidants
An antioxidant may be a catchall term for any compound that may counteract unstable molecules like free radicals that damage DNA, cell membranes, and other parts of cells. Your body cells naturally produce many antioxidants to place on patrol. The foods you eat—and, perhaps, a number of the supplements you take—are another source of antioxidant compounds. The vitamins C and E and therefore the mineral selenium even have antioxidant properties.

Why free radicals could also be harmful
Free radicals are a natural byproduct of energy metabolism and also are generated by ultraviolet rays, tobacco smoke, and pollution. They lack a man of electrons, which makes them unstable, so they steal electrons from other molecules, damaging those molecules within the process. But they will be helpful, too. When system cells muster to fight intruders, the oxygen they use spins off a military of free radicals that destroys viruses, bacteria, and damaged body cells in an oxidative burst. water-soluble vitamins can then disarm the free radicals.

How antioxidants may help
Antioxidants are able to neutralize marauders like free radicals by forgoing a number of their own electrons. When an ascorbic acid or E molecule makes this sacrifice, it’s going to allow a vital protein, gene, or cytomembrane to flee damage. This helps break a series of reactions that will affect many other cells. it’s important to acknowledge that the term “antioxidant” reflects a property instead of a selected nutritional property. Each of the nutrients that has antioxidant properties also has numerous other aspects and may be considered individually. The context is additionally important—in some settings, for instance, the antioxidant is an antioxidant, and in others, it may be a pro-oxidant.