Antioxidanten zijn stoffen die je lichaam beschermen tegen schade door vrije radicalen. Ze neutraliseren deze instabiele moleculen, waardoor oxidatieve stress vermindert. Dit helpt je cellen gezond te houden, veroudering af te remmen en je weerstand te versterken.

Okay, let's start simple. Antioxidants are molecules that neutralize free radicals. Sounds technical, but imagine having troublemakers running around in your body all day long. We call them free radicals . That might sound harsh, and sometimes it is, but luckily you can minimize them considerably (I'll tell you how later!). If these troublemakers, or free radicals, are allowed to run wild, they destroy your cells and damage your DNA , proteins, and other vital tissues.

And that's where antioxidants come in. They're like your personal bodyguards , donating an electron (a component) to such a radical, calming it down and preventing it from harming you anymore.

If you don't have enough antioxidants in your body, those free radicals can continue to run wild, creating oxidative stress . You can really think of this as chaos in your cells . Oxidative stress is linked to aging, chronic inflammation, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, some forms of cancer , and many other conditions. So antioxidants are quite important; they play a major role in protecting your body.

Let's recap what antioxidants do for you:

• They protect your cells from free radical damage
• They help reduce inflammation in your body
• They support your immune system
• They play a role in slowing down skin aging
• They help you feel more energetic and vital
• They support your recovery after stress or illness

You can think of it this way: Antioxidants keep your body clean and calm. Like a cleaning crew and security service all rolled into one. Without antioxidants, you'll feel exhausted more quickly, more susceptible to illness , and you might notice an immediate difference in your skin and hormones .

Free radicals are the unstable molecules that damage cells and tissues. They lack an electron and, like desperate seekers, roam your body searching for it. They steal it from healthy cells, and in return, damage those cells. This is literally how aging and damage occur at the cellular level.

Free radicals are created by:

• Breathe (even then)
• Intensive sports
• Smoking and alcohol
• Air pollution
• UV radiation from the sun
• Processed foods
• Chronic stress
• Sleep deprivation
• Blood sugar spikes
• Too much or too little oxygen in your body
• High iron intake

So you can't avoid them. But luckily, you can help your body balance them out by getting enough antioxidants .

Oxidatieve stress is een disbalans tussen vrije radicalen en antioxidanten. Het leidt tot celschade en wordt in verband gebracht met veroudering en chronische ziekten zoals hart- en vaatziekten, diabetes en Alzheimer.

Antioxidants come in different forms, each with a slightly different function in your body . The most important (and well-known) dietary antioxidants are:

• Vitamin C – water-soluble, works in your blood and connective tissue
• Vitamin E – fat-soluble, protects your cell membranes
• Beta-carotene and carotenoids – Beta-carotene is a precursor to vitamin A and protects the skin and eyes. Other carotenoids include lutein, lycopene, and astaxanthin.
• Selenium and zinc – trace minerals that activate antioxidant enzymes
• Polyphenols & flavonoids – plant substances that are very powerful

2. Ontstekingsremmend en immuunsysteemversterkend

• Antioxidanten verminderen laaggradige ontstekingen, die vaak de basis vormen van chronische ziekten.
• Ze ondersteunen je immuunsysteem en verhogen je weerstand tegen infecties.

3. Bescherming van hart- en bloedvaten

• Polyfenolen uit voeding (zoals olijfolie) beschermen tegen oxidatie van LDL-cholesterol.
• Dit verkleint de kans op atherosclerose en hartproblemen.

4. Huidgezondheid en collageenondersteuning

• Vitamine C stimuleert collageenaanmaak.
• Astaxanthine en lycopeen beschermen je cellen tegen schade. *Beautyclaim
• Resultaat: een stevigere, gezondere en jongere huid.

5. Meer energie en sneller herstel

• Minder oxidatieve stress betekent minder spierschade.
• Sporters herstellen sneller door antioxidanten zoals Q10 en glutathion.
• Ook bij vermoeidheid kunnen antioxidanten ondersteuning bieden.

Water-soluble antioxidants like vitamin C can be primarily active in the watery regions inside and around cells, while fat-soluble antioxidants can also work in the cell membrane and cross the blood-brain barrier . This sounds complicated, but it essentially means they can also reach your brain and provide additional protection for your cells there.

Many foods rich in antioxidants also have other important functions in the body. For example, curcumin from turmeric is a powerful antioxidant, but also has very strong anti-inflammatory properties .

Je hebt antioxidanten in verschillende soorten. Ze hebben allemaal een net iets andere functie in je lijf. De belangrijkste (en bekendste) antioxidanten uit voeding zijn:

• Vitamine C – wateroplosbaar, werkt in je bloed en bindweefsel
• Vitamine E – vetoplosbaar, beschermt je celmembranen
• Beta-caroteen en carotenoïden – Beta-caroteen is de voorloper van vitamine A, beschermt huid en ogen. Andere caroteinoïden zijn bijvoorbeeld luteïne, lycopeen en Astaxanthine
• Selenium en zink – sporenmineralen die antioxidante enzymen activeren
• Polyfenolen & flavonoïden – plantenstoffen die heel krachtig zijn zoals olijfolie, groene thee, cacao

Wateroplosbare antioxidanten zoals vitamine C kunnen vooral actief zijn in de waterige delen in en rondom cellen, terwijl vetoplosbare ook in het celmembraan kunnen werken en door de bloed-brein-barriere heen kunnen. Dat klinkt ingewikkeld, maar dat betekent eigenlijk dat ze ook in je brein terecht kunnen komen en daar je cellen extra beschermen.

Veel voedingsmiddelen die rijk zijn aan antioxidanten, hebben ook andere belangrijke functies in het lichaam. Bijvoorbeeld Curcumine uit kurkuma is een mooi antioxidant, maar heeft ook heel sterke ontstekingsremmende eigenschappen.

Listen carefully to your body and pay attention to signals such as:

• Fatigue for no apparent reason
• Skin that looks duller or older
• Slow recovery after stress or illness
• Getting sick regularly
• Brain fog, concentration problems
• Chronic inflammation (e.g. skin, intestines, joints)
• Sensitivity to sunlight

Do you recognize yourself in this? Then it's wise to take a critical look at your diet (or supplements).

💡 Your body must therefore maintain a balance between free radicals and antioxidants . If this fails, you risk oxidative stress .

Where do antioxidants come from? And how do you get more of them? It's simple. Think in as many colors and variations as possible. Here's your shopping list of foods that literally protect your body:

• Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, pomegranate seeds → full of anthocyanins and flavonoids
• Dark chocolate (min. 70%) → full of flavonoids, also good for your mood
• Spinach, kale, Swiss chard → rich in lutein, chlorophyll and vitamin C
• Carrots and sweet potatoes → beta-carotenes in abundance
• Bell peppers and kiwi → vitamin C bombs
• Nuts & seeds → lots of vitamin E and selenium
• Green tea → contains catechins, one of the most powerful polyphenols
• Turmeric, cinnamon, oregano, rosemary → fresh herbs are antioxidant bombs
• Olive oil (extra virgin) → rich in polyphenols and protective fatty acids