By Rangga Teguh Pratama
Vitamin E is a popular seller in the vitamin aisle, but let's not forgets where it comes from originally. Vitamin E is naturally present in plant oils. Its specialty is protecting cell membranes. The delicate membranes covering each of your cells are vulnerable to attack by free radicals, leaving you wide open to DNA damage. Vitamin E can stop that chain reaction in its tracks.
Vitamin E also supports your immune system, guards against heart disease, and may even protect against cataracts. Where do we find this powerful vitamin? It's in green vegetables, orange-colored fruits, and blueberries. You'll get even more from whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Note that the natural form of vitamin E, present in all these foods, is more potent, more available, and lasts longer in the body, compared with the synthetic vitamin E in supplements.
Selenium
The fourth member of this antioxidant team is the mineral selenium. It is a silvery-colored mineral that was named for Selene, the ancient Greek goddess of the moon. It works together with vitamin E to protect cells against damage from free radicals and other carcinogens.
Studies done at Harvard and Cornell Universities and in China have shown selenium levels to be 30 to 40 percent lower in cancer patients than in healthy people. Low selenium levels have been linked to cancers of the digestive system and the prostate. A surprising number of foods provide this powerful antioxidant.
Take garlic as an example. A clove here and there adds up. When you learn to flavor recipes with garlic, you'll wonder why you ever used so much salt. Over the course of a day, a diet rich in vegetables and fruits provides some selenium, and you'll get even higher amounts from whole grains (barley, brown rice, and oatmeal), legumes, seeds, and nuts. Mushrooms are good sources; tofu and Brazil nuts are excellent sources.
Vitamin E is a popular seller in the vitamin aisle, but let's not forgets where it comes from originally. Vitamin E is naturally present in plant oils. Its specialty is protecting cell membranes. The delicate membranes covering each of your cells are vulnerable to attack by free radicals, leaving you wide open to DNA damage. Vitamin E can stop that chain reaction in its tracks.
Vitamin E also supports your immune system, guards against heart disease, and may even protect against cataracts. Where do we find this powerful vitamin? It's in green vegetables, orange-colored fruits, and blueberries. You'll get even more from whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Note that the natural form of vitamin E, present in all these foods, is more potent, more available, and lasts longer in the body, compared with the synthetic vitamin E in supplements.
Selenium
The fourth member of this antioxidant team is the mineral selenium. It is a silvery-colored mineral that was named for Selene, the ancient Greek goddess of the moon. It works together with vitamin E to protect cells against damage from free radicals and other carcinogens.
Studies done at Harvard and Cornell Universities and in China have shown selenium levels to be 30 to 40 percent lower in cancer patients than in healthy people. Low selenium levels have been linked to cancers of the digestive system and the prostate. A surprising number of foods provide this powerful antioxidant.
Take garlic as an example. A clove here and there adds up. When you learn to flavor recipes with garlic, you'll wonder why you ever used so much salt. Over the course of a day, a diet rich in vegetables and fruits provides some selenium, and you'll get even higher amounts from whole grains (barley, brown rice, and oatmeal), legumes, seeds, and nuts. Mushrooms are good sources; tofu and Brazil nuts are excellent sources.
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