Antioxidants as Functional Foods in Health and Diseases

Antioxidants help protect against oxidation and free radical damage in tissues by neutralizing excess free radicals that eventually induce oxidative stress and degenerative diseases. Many antioxidants are affected by storage, handling and processing, while their combinations may have additive or synergistic effects. Health disorders that are linked to oxidative stress and free radicals include cardiovascular disease, stroke, atherosclerosis, organs ischemia and reperfusion injury, gastrointestinal dysfunctions, cancer, ailments related to AIDS, diabetes mellitus, obstructive sleep apnea, hemorrhagic shock, altered gene expression, hypertension, neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease), rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, cataracts and some of functional declines associated with aging. Dietary biophenols are more effective antioxidants in vitro than the antioxidative vitamins. The antioxidants in most functional food (fruits, vegetables, cereals, dry legumes, chocolate, and beverages, e.g. tea, coffee or wine) are due to their phenolic compounds. Epidemiological studies show an inverse relation between myocardial infarction and certain cancer risk with the consumption of certain food.