“Rich in Antioxidants” is a bit of buzz phrase at the moment, used to promote certain properties of foods. Antioxidants are found largely in fruit and vegetables, the foods richest in vitamins and minerals. Let’s dig deeper into this nutrition ‘super-phrase’.
Antioxidant is a term to describe any number of molecules or chemicals that counteract ‘oxidation.’ So consuming antioxidants is meant to put a hold on oxidation processes in the body. But do we really hate oxidation so much as to fully prevent it?
Exercise or training causes oxidation in the body. When we have an excess we experience tiredness and poor recovery. So in theory, having an abundance of antioxidants, and supplementing with additional antioxidants would improve recovery outcomes and fatigue, right?
Well, turns out it’s a little more complex than that. When we train, we actually want our body to be put under stress. It’s how we adapt and how we eventually see a training adaptation and improvement. So to an extent we actually want some oxidation to occur to promote that training response.
Ensuring you have a diet rich in vegetables and fruits alongside good nutritional recovery processes (carbs + protein post recovery) you should be able to get all the antioxidants through food in your diet, without the need for supplements. If you are experiencing excessive fatigue chances are it’s not a deficiency in antioxidants but worth checking in with your sports health professional team.
