Antioxidants and Their Roll in Human Health: A Review

Antioxidants are free radical molecules capable of inhibiting the oxidation of other molecules. Antioxidants play an important role to prevent some chronic diseases and protect the health of the individual by their ingestion with the food. Different types of antioxidants are available at present viz., dietary antioxidants, synthetic antioxidants, natural antioxidants, endogenous antioxidants and exogenous antioxidants. Antioxidants protect against damage induced by free radicals and oxidative stress. Antioxidants also act as reducing agents. Antioxidants are available in most of the plant based foods like fruits and vegetables, nuts, oilseeds and also in the form of certain nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin E etc.