Free radicals are the damaging molecules that are generated during the body’s natural oxidation process. This happens because of our constant exposure to oxygen. Like when iron rusts and an apple turns brown when you take a bite out of it. Oxidation – and the release of free radicals – already occurs when our metabolism turns food into energy and when we’re exposed to UV-rays, but the process is stimulated by habits like smoking, drinking alcohol and a poor diet and lifestyle.

Free radicals damage our cells, and our skin just happens to be our largest organ, containing lots of cells. Therefore, free radicals are the main cause of skin aging. But like everything else in nature revolves around balance, free radicals are also a necessary part of our health system, as they protect us from certain bacteria. It’s only when our bodies produce an excess of free radicals, that it negatively influences the state of our health. 

Antioxidants is actually a collective name for a range of vitamins, trace elements and bioactive substances, including Vitamin A, C, E, iron, zinc, copper, magnesium and beta-carotene. All these different antioxidants mainly come from our food – provided that you follow a diet that’s healthy and versatile consisting of fresh meals that is.

Vegetables and fruits, whole grain products, legumes, dairy, nuts, seeds and green tea all contain heaps of different antioxidants. That’s why you often stumble upon the advice to eat lots of different colors of food because the more colorful your diet, the more diverse the range of antioxidants. We often fail when it comes to a healthy diet by eating low-nutritional processed foods, making the level of antioxidants too low to protect sufficiently. And added to that, aging decreases the natural release of antioxidants.