What causes free radicals?
Your body is constantly being bombarded by negative elements from the environment that create a toxic chemical reaction in our cells. This reaction is known as oxidative stress.
Whether it’s from environmental pollution, chemicals we come in contact with daily, or tobacco smoke - oxidative stress causes the formation of free radicals. Free radicals are unstable atoms that bounce around in constant search to try and stabilize themselves with other electrons.
Imagine a Sasquatch in an expensive glass shop, violently smashing items on the shelves looking for the item it really wants.
The process of oxidative stress and the creation of free radicals is what weakens cells and DNA in our body. The damage caused by these highly reactive free radicals has been linked to heart disease, age related muscular degeneration, accelerated aging, and cancer.
The Role of Antioxidants...
An antioxidant is a nutrient that does exactly as it sounds - a substance that protects cells from the normal chemical process of oxidation that occur within the body.
A perfect example of how natural oxidation can occur within the body can be fully experienced in the same way an apple or avocado turns brown once sliced. Once exposed to the elements, the fruit starts the process of oxidation with the rapid creation of free radicals and the fruit begins to turn brown.
Just like how the sliced fruit interacts with the environment, our bodies oxidation levels accelerate with everything from elevated feelings of stress, daily exposure to air pollutants, tobacco use, processed foods, and consumption of alcohol.
Antioxidants are the powerful nutrients that bind with these free radicals in the body and work to neutralize the harm they can cause to your body’s cells and DNA. The ability of antioxidants to inhibit and reduce free radicals is protection from our modern environment and the toxins we’re exposed to on a daily basis.
How do I Get More Antioxidants?
The easy way to get more antioxidants daily, that anyone can do, is by eating a nutrient dense diet. Antioxidants are most prevalent in many of the common everyday fruits and vegetables you eat. When we consume more antioxidant rich foods, we can effectively reduce the amount of free radicals in our body.
Even some of the most commonly known vitamins are powerful free radical fighters. Vitamin C (found in many fruits and veggies) along with Vitamin E (found in nuts and seeds) are highly regarded for their ability to counteract the damaging effects of oxidation.
The known powerhouses of antioxidant rich foods include carrots, oranges, broccoli, blueberries, kale, cacao, and sweet potatoes. It’s often why we’re told to “eat the rainbow.” Foods with rich and vibrant colors are often highest in antioxidants.
There is one superfood that’s completely different and stands above them all in terms of an antioxidant packed boost….
Enjoying a cup of matcha tea every day is an excellent way to increase your daily antioxidant intake. It’s vibrate green color is a dead giveaway of it’s off the charts health benefits. Matcha has ten times the free radical fighting antioxidant power of a traditional cup of green tea.
It has more than fifteen times the antioxidants of gojiberries, pomegranates, and blueberries - all superfoods known for their exceptionally high antioxidant levels and the ability to fight dangerous free radicals.
There are no known fruits or vegetables at this time with more antioxidants than high quality, ceremonial grade matcha.
Easy Ways To Use Matcha
Add a quick scoop of matcha to your early morning shake after the gym or mix matcha with oat milk for a quick matcha latte. You can add matcha to practically anything and get a boost from the added antioxidants.
If you don’t want to worry about messy powders and clumpy matcha you can just grab a quick and convenient Moontower Matcha. Moontower Matcha was founded with the goal to make the benefits of matcha tea convenient and accessible to everyone.
Grab a can of Moontower Matcha on your way out of the door on the way to work for an antioxidant-packed, super delicious, superfood that has the added benefits of increased alertness from naturally occurring caffeine. Beyond its superior health benefits, matcha has been used for centuries by Zen monks when long periods of meditation require pure, focused energy.
Or reach for a Moontower Matcha following your after-lunch slump so that you can productively power through your afternoons with mental clarity, feeling refreshed and energized.
Did you try adding Moontower Matcha in your day to see how you feel? Tag @drinkmoontower on Instagram and hashtag #drinkmoontower