By: Nada Babović - Bioss |
Stronger and healthier than synthetic antioxidants |
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Surely you've heard of free radicals and oxidative stress.
Oxidative stress is a condition that occurs when the production of the free radicals overwhelm the body's ability to neutralize or eliminate them.
Oxidative stress leads to many serious diseases today such as diabetes, premature aging and heart problems.
The greatest enemies of the oxidative processes are antioxidants that strengthen the immune system and neutralize free radicals.
The human body has its own antioxidant systems, which protect it from the harmful effects of free radicals.
However, antioxidants can also enter our bodies via food. Natural sources of antioxidants are fruits, vegetables and herbs.
Synthetic antioxidants
Food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry puts some synthetic antioxidants in their products.
These are butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA, E320), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT, E321), tert-butyl hidrokinon (TBHQ, E319) and esters of gallic acid (E310 - E312).
After the advent of synthetic antioxidants, the issue of their safety for human health has been raised many times.
Due to adverse toxicological reports about synthetic antioxidants, it is recommended to use only natural antioxidants.
Natural antioxidants in herbs
A large number of seasoning plants contain chemical compounds that have antioxidant properties.
Natural antioxidants can be found in many parts of plants, such as seeds, leaves, roots and bark.
The most important group of natural antioxidants in fruits and vegetables are tocopherols, flavonoids, phenolic acids, terpenoids and carotenoids.
Active components of seasoning plants with antioxidative effects are polyphenols and phenolic acids.
These are such as rosmarinic acid from rosemary, sage and oregano, flavonoids and cirsimarin genkvanin from rosemary and sage.
Alongside them are natural pigments as capsaicin in peppers and terpenes from rosemary and sage.
Some herbs from the Lamiaceae family, such as rosemary, sage, oregano and thyme, can be used in the food industry.
Not only because they protect foods from oxidation, but because they also gives numerous medicinal properties to food.
It is believed that antioxidants:
- protect cells from free radicals
- slow down the aging process
- energize the body
- protect against many diseases such as cancer, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, etc.
Rosemary - the king of antioxidants
Rosemary leaves (Latin name Rosmarinus officinalis) and rosemary extracts are used not only as a seasoning, but also because of their antioxidant properties.
Rosemary is known as the plant with the highest antioxidant activity.
Compounds in rosemary that have the highest antioxidant activity are karnosolna acid, carnosol and rosmarinic acid.
Antioxidants in rosemary are able to interrupt the process of oxidation by adding hydrogen to free radicals.
Sage
Sage (Latin name Salvia officinalis) is one of the most commonly used medicinal herbs.
In addition to treatment, sage is used as a seasoning.
Together with rosemary, it possesses the strongest antioxidant activity among plants.
Antioxidant activity of sage is attributed to the presence of phenolic diterpenes, phenolic acids and flavonoids.
Thyme
Thyme (Latin name Thymus vulgaris) is a medicinal plant rich in essential oils, because or which it has fungicidal, antiseptic and antioxidant properties.
The essential oils from thyme leaves are used in perfumes, soaps and toothpastes.
In addition to applications in cosmetics and phytotherapy, thyme is used as a spice.
Studies have shown that the active components in the thyme extract, particularly eugenol, thymol and carvacrol, have higher antioxidant activity than synthetic antioxidants BHA and BHT and even natural vitamin E.
Oregano
Oregano (Latin name Origanum vulgare) is used in traditional medicine as a medicinal herb because of its strong antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant properties.
Components responsible for the antioxidant activity of the oregano essential oil are thymol, carvacrol and timohinon.
The joint action of the ingredients in oregano essential oil plays a very important role. Studies have shown that oregano extract slows lipid oxidation.
Basil
Basil (Latin name Ocimum basilicum) is used in traditional medicine for its antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant properties.
In cuisine it is used as a spice and in cosmetics as a source of essential oil.
It was found that rosmarinic acid as the main component of basil has more antioxidant activity than vitamin E.
How to Use Herbs
The simplest way you can take advantage of the benefits mentioned above is to add the aforementioned herbs to your daily menu.
It is best to add the seasonings at the end, because plants lose valuable nutrients and medicinal properties during cooking.
You can use encapsulated powders, tinctures or pure essential oils of seasoning herbs.
Consult with expert phytotherapist or aromatherapist regarding the appropriate application and dosage of such products.
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