Antioxidants vs. Free Radicals. The epic battle!

You may be familiar with the terms “antioxidants” and “free radicals,” but do you know how they function in your body? We’re generally aware that antioxidants are good for us, while free radicals can wreak havoc in our bodies. Antioxidants = good, free radicals = bad. Sounds simple enough, right? But did you know, being intentional about what you put into your body can help you win the fight in the epic battle for good against evil going on inside of you, right now.

Let us help break it down for you.

Most things in nature strive for balance. It’s called homeostasis, a term you may vaguely remember from biology class. Some balance probably sounds pretty great, especially on days when you’re juggling a million different things. The dishes are piling up, you’re late to pick-up the kids from soccer practice, and you’ve got a looming deadline coming up at work. We could all use more homeostasis in our daily lives!

The same basic principle applies to the very cells in our bodies. Cells are the basic building blocks of all living things, and the human body is made up of trillions of them. A healthy cell is balanced with a pair of electrons. When that even pair is disrupted, the cell becomes damaged. The zen-like calm of homeostasis is disrupted, knocking the cell out of whack.

There are many things that can cause this, like environmental toxins, UV from sun exposure, strenuous exercise, and or just normal metabolic activities of breathing! Basically, just existing as a human on our precious 3rd rock.

When your cells become unbalanced, they act as free radicals. The free radicals bounce all around, wreaking havoc on otherwise healthy cells. This is where antioxidants come to the rescue! Antioxidants are naturally occurring or man-made substances that prevent cell damage. There are many, but some of the more common examples are vitamins like vitamin c found in citrus, or lycopene in red fruits and veggies. 

Our bodies naturally produce some of the antioxidants that we need, called “endogenous antioxidants.” Diet provides the others, called “exogenous antioxidants,” also called “diet antioxidants,” produced mostly by plants. Since plants don’t have the luxury of being able to flee from danger, plants must create their own protection against enemies. Some of these are antioxidants, which can help the human body when consumed. In our bodies, the antioxidant binds to the unbalanced free radicals and acts to balance it out.

Here’s a real world analogy. Picture yourself chilling at a lounge or bar with a group of friends. There are other people at the tables seated around the lounge, laughing and having a good time. These are the healthy cells, enjoying homeostasis. Then, all of a sudden, some drunk jerk starts tearing through the establishment, knocking over tables, spilling drinks, insulting people! That’s the free radical. Suddenly, the vibe of the lounge changes, and the previously happy patrons become infected by the negativity. The bouncer, our antioxidant, then quickly grabs the offending drunken free radical in a headlock and throws them out on the street. The antioxidant effectively neutralizes the free radical, which makes it unable to continue to damage the cell. Order is restored at last, and your evening continues with merriment.

Luckily, bevCacao is packed with antioxidants that can help your body in the battle against the loose cannon free radicals that would do your cells harm! The cacao fruit has 3x the antioxidants of pomegranates, and 2x the antioxidants of the previous reigning super fruit, acai. Not to mention, it’s a refreshing way to rebalance yourself to a place of zen in this crazy world. Find homeostasis in your daily life with bevCacao!