What are antioxidants and what do they do?
In the life cycle of normal tissue cells, oxygen molecules are present and usefull. These oxygen molecules travel in pairs. Sometimes one of the pair will be used and the other remains left. That lone oxygen molecule is called a "free radical". Free radicals easily attach onto cells causing an effect, much like that of rust, called oxidative damage, which can bring about intense cell damage and interferes with the cell’s ability to function properly. Over time this may lead to cancer or cardiovascular disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s Disease and other health problems that is linked to aging.
Antioxidants are compounds that neutralize free radicals because they supply a positive charge to the unpaired oxygen so it cannot damage cells. This renders the free radical useless and the threat is gone. Antioxidants can also prevent oxidation by "guarding" or creating barriers around cell tissue and bonding with free radicals as they attack.
Anti-oxidants in rooibos tea
- Eugenol
- Caffeic acid
- Protocatechuic acid
- Ferulic acid
- Quercetin
- Isoquercitrin
- Rutin
- Isovitexin
- Luteolin
- Ascorbic acid
- p - Coumaric acid
- p - Hydroxybenzoic acid
- Vanillic acid
- Syringic acid