WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?
(....it means that aronia berries are a really healthy berry and can assist your body in many ways!)
What are ANOTHOCYANINS?
Anothocyanins occur in all tissues of higher plants, they are odourless and nearly flavourless, contributing to taste as a moderate astringent sensation. They are water soluble pigments of reds, purples and blues. They belong to a parent class of molecules called flavonoids and are powerful antioxidants.
What are FLAVONOIDS?
Flavonoids are common plant pigment compounds that act as antioxodants and enhance the effects of Vitamin C. According to J. Spencer (2008) they are “the most common group of polyphenolic compounds in the human diet and are found ubiquitously in plants”
What are POLYPHENOLS?
Polyphenols are a structural class of mainly organic chemicals. The most abundant polyphenols are the condensed tannins and are found in virtually all families of plants and play an important role in their ecology. Some polyphenols are tradionally used as natural dyes and tannins. Flavonoids are a class of polyphenols.
What are CATECHINS?
Catechins are natural phenols and natural antioxidants being part of the chemical family of flavonoids. They are a frequent component of traditional herbal remedies.
What are ANTIOXIDANTS?
Antioxidants control the balance of free radicals in the body and halt excessive production caused by the chain reactions. Chain reactions have destructive effects to cells and well being. Antioxidants act as scavengers (of free radicals) and help to prevent cell and tissue damage that could lead to further cellular damage and disease.
The body cannot manufacture antioxidants (or any other micro-nutrient) so they have to be ingested by diet. There is no benefit in over supplying the body. Antioxidants are believed to help control production of free radicals and to protect the body from free radical damage. Free radicals accumulate with age.
Vitamin E; The most abundant fat-soluble antioxidant in the body. One of the most efficient chain breaking antioxidants. Primary defender against oxidation.
Vitamin C; the most abundant water soluble antioxidant in the body acting primarily on cellular fluids.
What is OXIDATION?
Is a chemical reaction in which an atom loses electrons. If a substance loses an electron to an oxidising agent it becomes oxidised.
What are FREE RADICALS? (this is the difficult bit!)
Atoms join together to form molecules. Different molecules join together to form cells.
The number of protons (positively charged) in the atom determines the number of electrons (negatively charged) that orbit the atom. Bonded atoms are strong, stable and rarely split. If they do split the atom will be left with an odd or unpaired electron. When bonded atoms are split free radicals are formed.
Free radicals are very unstable and react quickly and aggressively to try and capture the needed electron to gain stability. Free radicals will attack the nearest stable molecule to steal the electron they need. The attacked molecule loses an electron and also becomes unstable. The unstable molecule then becomes a free radical itself and a chain reaction starts causing disruption to living cells.
The body needs a certain level of free radical activity to combat viruses and bacteria. Free radicals can also be ‘created’ by the environment when the body has to fight pollution etc
The “layman’s version”
When the environment reacts with a plate of mild steel it will start to rust.
Air reacts with steel and forms rust, the rust is damaging over time and the steel has become oxidised. If left in the open the steel will continue to rust until it is destroyed. This is oxidisation.
Antioxidants have the potential of halting or slowing the rate of oxidation. In this example, a coat of red-lead-oxide paint applied to the steel would slow the rate of oxidisation; hence, when the steel is exposed to the environment it oxidises; the rust is the free radical and the paint is the anti-oxidant)
