ZT 让自由基增加的食物

 

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Foods That Increase Free Radicals

 

Free radicals can damage your cells and your DNA through a process called oxidation. The damage from these chemicals can lead to cancer and other health conditions. Some free radicals are formed as natural byproducts of your body’s processes, including eating and breathing, and you are exposed to free radicals from environmental toxins, household chemicals and cigarette smoke. Antioxidants made by your body and consumed in plant foods helps prevent free radical damage. Unfortunately, some foods contain free radicals, which add to your body’s burden.

Fats and Oils

Fats and oils can become oxidized during storage as a result of exposure to light, air or heat. This creates free radicals and causes the unpleasant odors that you associate with rancidity. When fats or oils are heated to high temperatures, as they are with deep-frying, they can become oxidized, creating free radicals. Saturated fats are less likely than unsaturated fats to become oxidized. When cooking fats are reused, they become more oxidized and produce even more free radicals.

Cooked and Processed Meats

Because meat contains fats, those fats can also become oxidized when cooked at high temperatures. The iron found in meat, especially red meat, can also become oxidized. Preservatives used in processed meats -- including sausages, bacon, ham, pepperoni, hotdogs, salami, corned beef and many deli meats -- may also create free radicals. The American Institute for Cancer Research recommends avoiding processed meats and marinating meats you intend to grill.

 

Alcohol Risks

Alcoholic beverages have been identified as a human carcinogen. The National Cancer Institute says that one way that alcohol increases the risk of cancer is by creating free radicals in the body. If you drink alcohol, the American Institute for Cancer Research recommends limiting your intake to no more than two drinks a day if you are a man and one drink a day if you are a woman. While moderate alcohol intake may have some heart health benefits, these should be weighed against the additional cancer risk.

Antioxidant Supplements

Although antioxidants from food can help combat free radical damage in your body, antioxidants may be harmful when taken out of their natural context, as is the case with antioxidant supplements. One possibility is that high doses of antioxidants may actually have a pro-oxidant effect, indicating that too much of a good thing isn’t better. The National Cancer Institute and the American Institute for Cancer Research both recommend using antioxidant supplements with caution. Consult your doctor before taking any supplements.