A lot of health experts are promoting fruits and vegetables to be included in a regular diet. There are a lot of beneficial reasons to the advice, but one of the reasons would be the antioxidants that the majority of fruit and veggies offer. But what are antioxidants? Why are they so important?

Process of oxidation exists all around us from slice of pear turning brown to rust on a piece of metal. This is a natural activity which also happens inside a body. Our body normally works with oxidation well, but at times it leads to cell damage. The damaged cells are known as free radicals. Free radicals are molecules with unpaired electron. Since it is unpaired, it will try to steal an electron from another molecule. Whenever this activity gets extreme, it can cause a lot of health hazards most notably cancer, heart problems and arthritis. Cigarette smoke, pollution and radiation lead to the growth of free radicals as well. Antioxidants are substances that neutralize free radicals.

By offering the missing electron to free radicals, antioxidants avoid cell damage. It is important to eat meals that come with antioxidants on a regular basis to live healthy and balanced. Most fruits and vegetables are the ideal supply of antioxidants thanks to vitamins E and C. The vitamins are recognized to be one of the best antioxidants. Fruits and vegetables such as strawberry, kiwi, papaya, spinach, bell pepper, and broccoli are a great supply of vitamin C and E. However these vitamins are not the sole source of antioxidants and in reality they are certainly not the best source.

More and more health professionals agree with the fact that Epigallocatechin or generally known as EGCG could be a more powerful source of antioxidants compared to vitamins C and E. Numerous scientists agree that EGCG is 100 times more efficient than vitamin C and 25 times more effective compared to vitamin E in protecting against free radicals. EGCG is a compound included in green tea extract. Many of the acknowledged green tea extract benefits are preventions against depressive disorders, heart disease, cancer, fat gain and LDL cholesterol.

There have been a large number of laboratory examinations about the impacts of green tea on cancer cells. The end results suggest the dosage of 300mg of EGCG each day to be the ideal amount. One cup has about 100mg of EGCG. A lot more scientific studies are in the process, however for right now 3 cups on a daily basis looks like a safe amount.

There are multiple ways to take in green tea. Conventional way is to make and to drink the tea. This really is good in particular when consumed while having a meal. Another popular way is to add green tea powder to drinking water. Combining lemon with EGCG has been known to improve the health benefits. More convenient way is to take tea tablets. This will work for people disliking the flavor.