4/18/2022
The thing you may not have known about antioxidants is you can get them in your water when you drink alkaline ionized water infused with molecular hydrogen. You can get more antioxidants through drinking alkaline ionized water than you can through eating antioxidant rich foods daily!
Alkaline ionized water has more antioxidants in a single glass than broccoli, blueberries, banana, red cabbage, green tea, and spinach consumed. In fact, it would take 1 kilogram or 2.2 pounds of blueberries to equate to the antioxidants in a single glass of alkaline ionized water. Read more below to learn about free radicals, oxidative stress, antioxidants, and what antioxidant-rich food you can pair with your daily alkaline ionized water to supercharge your daily antioxidant intake.
What are free radicals? Free radicals are waste substances produced by cells as the body processes food and reacts to the environment. A free radical is an unbalanced molecule with an unpaired electron. It needs another electron to be stable and steals it from your cells. They are also known as reactive oxygen species (ROS). Factors that increase the production of free radicals in the body can be internal, such as inflammation, or external, for example, pollution, UV exposure, cigarette smoke, industrial solvents, pesticides, drugs, chemotherapy, and excessive exercise. If the body cannot process and remove free radicals efficiently the result is oxidative stress.
What is oxidative stress? Oxidative Stress is defined as a disturbance in the balance between the production of reactive oxygen species (free radicals) and antioxidant defenses, and it can harm cells and bodily functions.
For example, oxidation is what's happening to the apple in this picture below or to iron when it rusts. Oxidation happens inside our bodies all the time and contributes to diseases. Oxidation is a chemical reaction where Active Oxygen (O2+) and other free radicals circulate the body, stealing electrons and damaging the cells.
Oxidative stress has been linked to heart disease, cancer, arthritis, stroke, respiratory diseases, immune deficiency, emphysema, Parkinson’s disease, and other inflammatory or ischemic conditions. Antioxidants protect against oxidative stress.
What are antioxidants? Antioxidants are substances that can prevent or slow damage to cells caused by free radicals. Antioxidants also act as radical scavenger, hydrogen donor, electron donor, peroxide decomposer, singlet oxygen quencher, enzyme inhibitor, synergist, and metal-chelating agents. The best sources of antioxidants are plant-based foods, especially fruits and vegetables and alkaline ionized water. Foods that are particularly high in antioxidants are often referred to as a superfoods.
What foods are high in antioxidants? CHOCOLATE – dark chocolate; DAIRY – eggs, cheese, whole milk; FRUITS – apples, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, corn, cranberries, mangoes, oranges, plums, pomegranates, red grapes, goji berries, papaya, prunes, raspberries, strawberries, watermelon; GRAINS – rice, wheat; LEGUMES - black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans; MEATS – liver, herring, salmon, trout, tuna, sardines, mackerel; NUTS – almonds, cashews, chestnuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, peanut butter, walnuts; OILS – sunflower and vegetable oil; TEAS – green and black tea; VEGETABLES – artichokes, beats, bell peppers, carrots, corn, eggplants, kale peas, potatoes, red cabbage, spinach, tomatoes.