Antioxidant Case Study

Introduction

An antioxidant is any substance that significantly delays or inhibits the oxidation of a substrate (Young & Woodside, 2001). The physiological role of antioxidants is to prevent cellular damage arising as a consequence of chemical reactions involving free radicals. Free radicals are major contributors to degenerative diseases of aging, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, cataracts, immune system decline, and brain dysfunction (Ames, et al., 1990) (Atoui, et al., 2005). Antioxidants have the ability to stabilize or deactivate free radicals before they attack the body and hence antioxidants are critical for maintaining optimal well-being.

Green tea, Black tea and Rooibos tea are all sources of antioxidants (von Gadow, et al., 1997) and they have been advertised as such by companies including Lipton and Nestea. Tea remains the most consumed drink in the world after water (Rietveld & Wiseman, 2003). South African tea consumption per capita is 11th globally as on average each person will drink two pounds of tea per year (Ferdman, 2014).

However, a number of studies have suggested that the addition of milk and sugar to tea may decrease

They found that a substantial number of human intervention studies with green and black tea had all demonstrated a significant increase in plasma antioxidant capacity in humans after consumption of moderate amounts of tea (1–6 cups/tea). Overall, they concluded that tea flavonoids are potent antioxidants that are absorbed from the gut after consumption and significantly increase the antioxidant capacity of the blood. Beneficial effects of increased antioxidant capacity in the body may be the reduction of oxidative damage to important molecules. The scientific support is strongest for the protection of DNA from oxidative damage after black or green tea