Glutathione as antioxidant

Glutathione (GSH) is an antioxidant and anti-carcinogen that is present in plant and animal tissues that form the bulk of the human diet.

It is a natural compound present in every cell, and acting essentially as an antioxidant. It is nowadays produced by humans as a food complement recommended for staying in good health.

It allows these cells keeping adequate redoxy potential, and acts in detoxification and eliminatory functions. Under its reduced form, it is the most important cellular antioxidant.

Because of its central role in detoxification, approximately 25% of all the body’s glutathione resides in the liver alone. Glutathione is also concentrated in the kidneys and in mucosal secretions of the intestinal lining and lungs. It is present inside cells and in extracellular fluids.

Consuming foods rich in sulphur-containing amino acids can help boost glutathione levels. Here are some food sources and dietary supplements that help boost glutathione levels naturally.
Glutathione as antioxidant

What are the functions of bioflavonoids?

Bioflavonoids are a ubiquitous class of compounds found in plants.  They are essential for the absorption of vitamin C, and the two should be taken together.

Bioflavonoids provide synergy in the utilization of vitamin C, therefore they contribute to many vitamin C applications for example, the treatment of colds and flus.

There are many different bioflavonoids, including citrin, eriodictyol, flavones, hesperetin, hesperidin, quercetin, quercetrin, and rutin. The human body cannot produce bioflavonoids, so they must be supplied in the diet.

Most bioflavonoids exhibited antioxidant activity of one form or another. One mechanism is binding of free iron or other metals that catalyze free radicals.

Antioxidant activity has been potent enough to protect collagen and hyaluronan from breakdown by generated free radicals. Bioflavonoids are used extensively in the treatment of athletic injuries because they relieve pain, bumps and bruises.

They also reduce pain located in the legs or across the back, and lessen symptoms associated with the prolonged bleeding and low serum calcium.

Bioflavonoids act synergistically with vitamin C to protect and to preserve the structure of capillaries.

Bioflavonoids may help lower the risk of heart disease. In 1996, a Finnish study found that women who ate the most flavonoids had a 46 percent lower risk for heart disease than those who ate the least.

One of major function of bioflavonoids is dilation of blood vessels, which results in improved blood flow to and from tissues all over the body, especially the brain.

Increasing oxygen content of the blood enhances the memory and improves cellular transmission.

In addition, bioflavonoids have an antibacterial effect and promote circulation, improved capillary strength, stimulate bile production, lower cholesterol levels, and treat and prevent cataracts.

Bioflavonoids keep platelets, from clumping together and forming clots that can block the arteries.

They also keep harmful low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol from oxidizing and sticking to artery walls.

When taken with vitamin C, bioflavonoids also reduce the symptoms of oral herpes.

Some bioflavonoids can stop cancer before it starts.
What are the functions of bioflavonoids?

The importance of protein

The term protein derives from the Greek prote or primary.

The importance of proteins in living organism embraces two aspects: structural and functional. Proteins are the chief organic constituents of muscles and other tissues.

Many proteins are enzymes that catalyze biochemical reactions and are vital to metabolism.

Proteins are parts of the intracellular and intercellular structure of animals. The importance of dietary protein for the maintenance of the immune systems has also been suggested, with the dietary protein influencing the human response to infection though several mechanisms: gut barrier functions and general immune-competence.

Proteins are the molecular machines that drive and control virtually all of the features of biological organisms at the molecular levels.

The primary function of DNA and the gens contained therein is to store the instructions for creating proteins.

Proteins are required by humans for growth (protein synthesis) and for repair and maintenance of cells. Since mature adults have, in essence, ceased to grow, their protein requirement is less, per unit weight, than that of those who are still growing.

Proteins are also central in cell signaling, cell adhesion and cell division for growth and reproduction.
The importance of protein

Role of Sodium in Human Body

The human body contains approximately 1.3 g of sodium. About a third is found in our bones. The rest is our body fluids. It ensures a proper fluid and electrolyte or pH balance in our body, together with chlorine and potassium.

Sodium in the form of sodium chloride is ingested directly though food and many food materials contain this material.

Sodium helps our body retaining the body’s water and pH. It enables our cell walls to draw in nutrients. It plays a role in nerve function and muscle contraction. Sodium works in close association with chlorine and potassium.

Sodium also plays a special role in controlling the heartbeat by helping in its origin and maintenance.

Food sources of sodium including salt, smoked, pickled or refined foods, crisps, condiments such as tomato sauce, bread and breakfast cereals.

Many dieticians say that adding any salt to our food means we’re having too much in our diet. High levels of sodium in the body are associated with high blood pressure and hypertension.

Salt tablets may be recommended for dehydration and low blood pressure. Any active sport participation leads to a considerable loss of water.

Sufficient quantities of water should therefore be consumed during and after exercising. Drinking at least eight glasses of water a day will also reduce cravings for sweet and savory things.

Daily requirement is about 3-5 g for a normal adult. It is absorbed nearly completely from diet in the intestinal tract. Normally kidney excretes the excess if the sodium and deregulate the sodium content in the body.

Sodium deficiency results in muscle cramps. Headache. Poor appetite and dehydration, but the main sign is fatigue.
Role of Sodium in Human Body

Vitamin D

Vitamin D
Vitamin D (calciferol or activated ergosterol) is fat soluble. This vitamin is necessary fro normal tooth and bone formation.

Deficiencies in vitamin D result in rickets (deformities of bone, such as bow legs and curvature of the spine) and teeth defects.

Fish oils, and especially fish liver oils, are excellent sources of vitamin D. The human body also able to synthesize this vitamin from components of the skin through exposure to ultraviolet or sunlight. Vitamin D is routinely added to milk.
Vitamin D

Vitamin A

Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin. It is found only in animals, although a number of plants contain carotene, from which vitamin A can be produced in the body once the plants contain carotene are eaten.

Vitamin A may be formed in the body from the yellow pigments (containing carotene) of many fruits and vegetables, especially carrots. Vitamin A is required for vision.

Epithelial cells (those cells present in the lining of body cavities and in the skin and glands) require vitamin A. This vitamin also required for resistance to infection.

Deficiency of Vitamin A may cause impairment in bone formation, impairment of night vision, malfunction of epithelial tissues, and defect inn the enamel of teeth.
Vitamin A

Starches

Starches
Starches are carbohydrates that are storage materials in the seed and roots of many plants. Corn, wheat, rice and other grains, as potatoes and other rootlike vegetables, contain significant amount of starch.

Starch is, made up of many units of glucose linked together in different forms. In the intestine, starch is broken down top glucose and utilized of energy.

Cooling (moist heat) causes starch grains to swell and rupture, thus converting starch to a form that is readily digested.

In the body, much of the glucose may be utilized directly as a source of energy, but some of it is converted into fat, the muscles utilizing fatty acids indirectly as fuel for energy.

Excess carbohydrates, not required for energy, when ingested (eaten) will be stored in the body as fat.
Starches

Nutritional value of Fats and Fats Products

Nutritional value of Fats and Fats Products
Dietary fat provides a highly concentrated form of energy for the human body. On a gram for gram basis, lipids contain more than twice energy of either carbohydrate or protein (lipids, 9.3kcal/g; carbohydrate and protein, 4.1kcal/g). Ethyl alcohol, with 7.0kcal/g, almost approaches the energy value of fat.

In United States, the average dietary intake of fat has increased from 124 g/person/day in 1910 to 163 g/person/day at present. About two-thirds of the dietary lipids come from animals, and the remaining from vegetables. In addition to serving as an important energy source, dietary fat serves as a carrier for fat soluble vitamins and provides essential fatty acids. These needs can be met by a diet containing 15-25 g of food fats.

Since the discovery of the essential fatty acids by Burr and Burr (1929), numerous studies have demonstrated that probably all animal species may develop symptoms of essential fatty acid deficiency of raised on fat free diets. Weanling rats on a fat free diet grow poorly, showing deficiency signs such as dermatitis. Poor reproduction, lowered caloric efficiency, impairment of lipid transport, and decreased resistance to stress. When linoleic acid is present in the diet, the symptoms associated with fat deficiency do not develop. Arachidonic acid and linoleic acid have also been show to prevent the symptoms. Undoubtedly, mammals are unable to synthesize linoleic acid and linolenic acid, both of which contain unsaturated double bonds. Since these two acids cannot be synthesized in mammalian tissue, but are required the diet, they are called essential fatty acids.
Nutritional value of Fats and Fats Products