Antioxidant Capacity of Food

Abstract

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are usually produced by the living cell and have different functions in its normal activity. However, if they are produced excessively, or if the system that keeps them in controlled levels is deficient or insufficient, a phenomenon known as oxidative stress is produced. This is related to the aging process and the onset and development of several diseases as well as their complications such as endothelial dysfunction in cardiovascular disease concomitant with the oxidation of low density lipoproteins and aggravated by smoking, the appearance of advanced glycosylation end products in diabetes mellitus. In neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, neuron plasma membrane malfunction is caused by phospholipids peroxidation, leading to cell death.Cancer develops from genetic mutations resulting from DNA damage.Taking this into account, several antioxidant properties have been studied in different foods, beverages and spices, including their relationship with the prevention of degenerative diseases. Antioxidants obtained through diet can act in different ways: first, preventing the excess of free radicals, thus avoiding oxidative damage to the cell. Secondly, after damage has occurred, antioxidants can control free radical levels preventing further damage thereby alleviating some symptoms caused by oxidative stress. In this review, some basic concepts of reactive oxygen species, oxidative stress and antioxidants are analyzed, as well as some of the direct and indirect methods used to assess the antioxidant capacity of foods. Some of the food highly consumed by the Mexican population has antioxidant capacity and it is herein summarized.

Antioxidant Capacity of Anthocyanin Pigments

“…The capacity of phenolic compounds to trap FR depends upon their structure, in particular, of the hydrogen atoms of the aromatic group that can be transferred to the FR [5,10,20,24,63,113] and of the capacity of the aromatic compound to cope with the uncoupling of electrons as a result of the surrounding displacement of the electrons-π system. As compared to other antioxidants, research on their health effects started more recently.…”

“…oxidation of the lipidic membrane, the low-density lipoproteins (LDLs), the protein cellular components, DNA and enzymes can occur, thereby destroying them [63,64].…”

Dietary antioxidant capacity and risk of type 2 diabetes in the large prospective E3N-EPIC cohort

“…The main known contributors to the overall antioxidant capacity of the diet are fruit and vegetables, wine, coffee and tea [9]. Antioxidants from the diet act in two main ways: first, preventing the generation of excess free radicals, and thus avoiding oxidative damage to the cell; and second, after damage has occurred, preventing further cell degeneration, thus alleviating the progression of conditions caused by oxidative stress [10]. Recently, an index of the total antioxidant capacity of foods, which describes the ability of food antioxidants to scavenge preformed free radicals, has been suggested as a tool for investigating the health effects of antioxidants present in mixed diets.…”

Antiradical and antimicrobial activity of <i>Atylosia lineata</i> Wt. and Arn.

“…Plants are considered as an important and richer source of antioxidants. Polyphenolic compounds including flavonoids of plant kingdom are shown to be excellent antioxidants (Gulcin et al, 2011;Pavithra et al, 2013;Urquiza-Martínez and Navarro, 2016).…”