Are Free Radicals good for the body?
A free radical is any molecule with an unpaired electron. Free radicals include Reactive Oxygen Species (e.g., the superoxide radical) and reactive nitrogen species (e.g., NO). These molecules are highly reactive, short-lived products of oxidative metabolism. Free radicals are not entirely bad for the body. They are involved in the wound healing process. They help in the formation of new tissue and the repair of damaged cells (Mathew et al., 2011).
Free radicals are also used by the immune system to destroy pathogens like bacteria and viruses. They help in the defence mechanism by attacking and neutralizing these harmful invaders. But when there is excessive generation of free radicals they lead to the generation of negative effects such as aging, inflammation and cell damage (Fang et al., 2002).
How do we eliminate these excess free radicals?
As difficult it may sound, the answer is really simple. One need to simply keep his or her body’s antioxidant defences up. This will be achieved by ensuring your diet is always rich in foods that can fight against this excess free radical.
What are Antioxidants?
Antioxidants are molecules that reduce oxidation by interfering with the initial or propagating steps of oxygen chain reactions. Pro-oxidants are substances that induce oxidative stress by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) or by inhibiting antioxidant systems. In healthy cells, there exists a delicate balance between pro-oxidants and antioxidants.
However, this balance can shift toward pro-oxidants when oxygen species production increases or antioxidant levels decrease. This shift results in oxidative stress, which is harmful because oxygen free radicals target biological molecules like lipids, proteins, and DNA. Antioxidants are molecules that can help your body fight off harmful free radicals, which have been linked to health conditions like diabetes and cancer. In the past ten years, research interest in natural antioxidants has surged due to their safety and numerous health benefits (Llaurad et al., 2020).
Antioxidants have emerged as a crucial topic in human nutrition due to the high levels of free lipid radicals present in food and within the body after consumption. Additionally, antioxidants play a vital role in combating environmental stress caused by air pollution (Pokorný, 2007). Antioxidants are compounds that, even in small amounts, can significantly delay or prevent the oxidation of other substances in foods. Food manufacturers utilize food-grade antioxidants to preserve product quality and maintain nutritional value. The most commonly used artificial antioxidants in foods are butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), propyl gallate (PG), and tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ).
Natural antioxidants found in foods can be incorporated into composite food formulations to help stabilize them, or they can be extracted and added to other foods. As an example, oat and amaranth oils contain high levels of antioxidants such as tocopherols and squalene. Epidemiological and clinical studies have shown that phenolic compounds and vegetables play a key role in lowering the rates of chronic and degenerative diseases. This is particularly evident in populations that consume diets rich in specific foods like soybeans (Shahidi, 2000).
Why Saba senegalenseis should be incorporated in our diet
In 2017, approximately 3.9 million deaths globally were linked to inadequate fruit and vegetable intake. Consequently, the World Health Organization (WHO) advises daily consumption of fruits and vegetables due to their positive impact on health and nutrition, and their essential role in maintaining a healthy, balanced diet and lifestyle (Tiendrebeogo et al., 2024).
Saba senegalensis is an indigenous tree crop found in the northern regions of Ghana and parts of Africa. The fruit has a round outer shell that contains seeds surrounded by a very soft and juicy yellow pulp. When ripe, the fruit is sweet and tangy, with yellow flesh, and is typically enjoyed fresh without any processing. The presence of bioactive compounds, such as phenolic compounds, in S. senegalensis fruits has been documented. These compounds are crucial in preventing and treating oxidative stress therefore can serve as antioxidant (Tiendrebeogo et al., 2024).
Research has revealed that the pulp of extract of S. senegalensis show a great antioxidant activity. Studies have shown that the fruit of S. senegalensis is a good source of natural antioxidants justifying its traditional use as fruit displaying cathartic effect. The Total phenolic content of the fruit extract was reported to be 984.15 mg GAE/100 g (Tiendrebeogo et al., 2024).
The fruit is abundant in vitamin A, vitamin C, and dietary fibre, and it also contains essential minerals like potassium, magnesium, and calcium. The fruits can be processed into products like juice, nectar, or jam. The presence of active compounds in Saba fruit could play an important role in the prevention and treatment of certain vitamin deficiencies and metabolic diseases (Salamata et al., 2020). Therefore consuming them as they would prevent certain diseases, which are now public health problem in Africa such as arthritis, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
CONCLUSION
Fruits are a rich of antioxidants, which are highly beneficial in both food application and consumption. They do not only improve the quality and shelf life of food products but also contributes to overall health and well-being. Adding S. senegalensis into your diet will be a good way to boost your antioxidant intake and associated health benefits. Have you tried the fruit before? If your answer is no kindly have a taste of it and you will be delighted.
REFERENCES
Fang, Y. Z., Yang, S., & Wu, G. (2002). Free radicals, antioxidants, and nutrition. Nutrition, 18(10), 872–879. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0899-9007(02)00916-4
Llaurad, G., Daniel, M., Hendrix, S., Morris-quevedo, H. J., Dubois, A. F., Aleman, E. I., Beenaerts, N., Isidro, E. M., Orber, T., Cos, P., & Cuypers, A. (2020). Antioxidants in Plants : A Valorization Potential Emphasizing the Need for the Conservation of Plant Biodiversity in Cuba.
Mathew, B. B., Tiwari, A., & Jatawa, S. K. (2011). Free Radicals and Antioxidants : A Review. Journal of Pharmacy Research, 4(12), 4340–4343.
Pokorný, J. (2007). Are natural antioxidants better - and safer - Than synthetic antioxidants? European Journal of Lipid Science and Technology, 109(6), 629–642. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejlt.200700064
Salamata, T., Leguet, G., Clarisse, S. C., Fidèle, W. T., & Mamoudou, H. D. (2020). Biochemical composition of Saba senegalensis fruits from Burkina Faso. African Journal of Food Science, 14(10), 322–329. https://doi.org/10.5897/ajfs2020.1992
Shahidi, F. (2000). Antioxidants in food and food antioxidants. Nahrung - Food, 44(3), 158–163. https://doi.org/10.1002/1521-3803(20000501)44:3<158::AID-FOOD158>3.0.CO;2-L
Tiendrebeogo, S., Compaoré, C. S., Barry, R. P., Oboulbiga, E. B., & Hama Dicko, M. (2024). Comparison of nutritional, bioactive potential and antioxidant properties of Saba senegalensis fruit pulps from five regions of Burkina Faso. Frontiers in Nutrition, 11(April), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1358968
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