Antioxidant Drinks 101: The Ultimate Guide
Let’s face it: Modern living isn’t exactly synonymous with healthy living.
After all, we get bombarded from all sides with pollution, toxins, and UV rays. Add to that the high levels of stress most people experience, and you have the perfect recipe for feeling crappy.
Well, this is where antioxidants can help. These powerful molecules can protect your body from free radicals — which come from our environment and can wreak havoc on the cellular level.
There are plenty of ways to get your antioxidants, but we can’t think of one more delicious than a nutrient-packed antioxidant drink.
Here at Sunwink, we believe in the power of Superfoods, and our antioxidant drinks can help give you the wellness support you deserve. From our Immunity Berry Sparkling Superfood Tonic over ice to a shake made with our Cacao Clarity Superfood Powder, our vegan and non-GMO formulas are antioxidant-rich and sure to please.
Ready to learn more about what antioxidant drinks can do for you? Keep reading this full guide from Sunwink.
What Are Antioxidants?
Antioxidants are molecules, natural or synthetic, that can prevent cell damage caused by free radicals.
What are free radicals, you may ask? Well, these are also molecules that can be very harmful to the body.
Free radicals have an unpaired electron in their outer shell. Without getting too deep into the science, this means that they’re very unstable. To become more stable, they steal electrons from healthy cells in the body, which — you can probably guess — isn’t very good.
Free radicals are natural byproducts of your metabolism. For example, when you exercise, you create lots of free radicals in the process. In manageable amounts, this is perfectly normal.
However, the problem happens when the body is overwhelmed with free radicals. When you’re exposed to too many of them, you may experience oxidative stress. This is a condition that has been linked to serious health problems.
And it’s not so great for your appearance either. Oxidative stress is known to speed up aging, leading to premature wrinkles and fine lines as well as an increased risk for certain health problems.
We can’t always prevent exposure to free radicals. But we can protect our bodies from them, which is exactly what antioxidants can do for you.
How Do Antioxidants Work?
As we mentioned above, free radicals have an unpaired electron. As a result, they scavenge healthy cells in the body and steal their electrons to become more stable. This can lead to cellular damage, which can cause serious health problems down the line.
This process isn’t all bad, of course. For instance, when your immune system comes in contact with a pathogen, it sends free radicals to attack it. By stealing electrons from the pathogen, free radicals can help weaken it.
But, for the most part, high quantities of free radicals aren’t great news. They can lead to oxidative stress, which can damage not only DNA but also fatty tissue and proteins.
So, how can antioxidants help? Well, unlike free radicals, antioxidants actually have extra electrons. This means that they can give their extra electrons to free radicals, helping to stabilize them. This saves healthy cells and tissues in the process.
What Are Some Well-Known Antioxidants?
Often, the term “antioxidant” is used to describe different types of foods. But it’s actually a chemical property that can be present in other substances.
Essentially, anything that can give an electron to free radicals and stabilize them is considered an antioxidant. Not surprisingly, there are thousands of substances that can fit this description.
The most famous antioxidants are perhaps vitamin C and vitamin E. They’re found in many types of foods, including fresh produce, and come with a host of other benefits. For instance, vitamin C is also an excellent way to support the immune system, while vitamin E is known for maintaining skin health and appearance.
Some other well-known antioxidants include beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. These are collectively called “carotenoids” and can be found in plants that are red, orange, and yellow — such as carrots. Aside from providing antioxidant support, carotenoids are well-known for supporting eye health.
Another well-known antioxidant is resveratrol. It can be found in red wine, which makes it an amazing alcoholic beverage for those looking to boost their wellness.
There are many other antioxidants that you can find in the plant world. Our Sparkling Superfood Tonics and Superfood Powders include various antioxidants, each with unique benefits for your health and wellness.
Curious what some of these may be? Read on to the following section for the top six benefits of antioxidants.
What Are the Benefits of Antioxidants?
1. They Support Your Cell Health
Oxidative stress happens when there are too many free radicals for the body to handle. This can lead to a chain reaction, in which healthy cells lose an electron and steal one from other cells and tissues in the body.
When free radicals run rampant in your body, they can, over time, damage your cells. Antioxidants can help support and protect your cell health during exposure to free radicals and oxidative stress.
Your body naturally makes antioxidants, but it doesn’t hurt to take in outside antioxidants from fruits and vegetables. Dietary antioxidants can help support your body’s natural ability to fight off free radicals.
2. They May Support Brain Function
Your brain uses a huge amount of energy — and in the process, it creates free radicals. This can lead to unpleasant symptoms like brain fog, memory issues, and concentration problems.
Antioxidants can support you against free radical damage in the brain, supporting healthy cognitive function in the process.
3. They Can Support Emotional Wellness
The health of your brain is intricately linked to your mood. That’s why negative cognitive symptoms, like brain fog, are often linked to issues with emotional wellness. When your ability to focus feels impaired, you may have a hard time completing school or work tasks, or simply going about your daily activities.
Antioxidants may lend a helping hand to your ability to focus and maintain a positive mood.
4. They Can Support Glowing Skin
Just like antioxidants can support health from the inside, they can also do so from the outside. And this shows up most prominently in the skin’s appearance.
By helping to support your health against free radicals, antioxidants may help soften the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Not only that, but antioxidants also offer excellent support from the sun’s harmful UV rays — a potent source of free radicals. They’re no replacement for sunscreen, but antioxidants are a great way to help support your daily skin protection.
You may have run across skin care products with antioxidants added to them. Well, eating (or drinking) your antioxidants can be just as (if not more) effective. For your most glowing self yet, you can turn to antioxidants in their many forms.
5. They Can Support Gut Health
We’re pretty serious about gut health here at Sunwink. That’s why so many of our superfood tonics, like our Digestion Lemon Sparkling Superfood Tonic, are made with gut-nourishing superfoods.
Antioxidants are a great way to show your microbiome some TLC. They help by supporting your gut’s defense against oxidative stress, which can support a healthy ratio of good to bad gut bacteria. This can create a strong foundation for your gut health — and, as such, your overall health.
Your gut microbiome is comprised of tiny microorganisms like yeast and bacteria, and maintaining the right balance between good and bad bacteria is crucial for digestion, immune function, and overall wellness. When you end up with too much harmful bacteria, you may experience uncomfortable digestive symptoms.
Getting plenty of antioxidants can help you maintain a healthy gut microbiome so that your digestive system can do its job.
6. They Can Support Healthy Aging
We can’t stop the aging process, but we can certainly make sure that we age in a healthy way. And we can also look awesome while doing so!
Antioxidants won’t reverse your appearance by ten years. But they can certainly protect you from the elements that speed up the aging process, like the sun, air pollution, or cigarette smoke.
By the way, this doesn’t only apply to your appearance: Antioxidants may also help with supporting memory function and helping to keep the bones strong and healthy..
What Are the Best Foods for Antioxidants?
Sold on the benefits of antioxidants? We can’t blame you!
While your first instinct may be to buy an antioxidant supplement, it’s better to get your antioxidant fix from whole food (preferably superfood) sources.
Antioxidants are most common in plants like fruits, veggies, and legumes. That said, you can find them in almost every food group.
Fruit probably has the highest antioxidant content in the entire plant world. But we’re not talking about just any fruit. Specifically, it’s berries — with their rich dark hues — that provide the highest amounts of antioxidants.
Blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries are delicious and make for a healthy snack. But you can find the highest concentration of antioxidants in the mighty açai berry, which we included in our Berry Healthy Skin Superfood Powder.
Vegetables can also be an excellent source of antioxidants. Look for those that are brightly colored. For instance, red bell peppers are super high in vitamin C, carrots are high in carotenoids, and tomatoes contain high amounts of lycopene.
Oh, and don’t sleep on dark, leafy greens! Kale, spinach, and dandelion greens are excellent sources of quercetin and lutein, two potent antioxidants known for reducing irritation. If you’re not a fan of eating them, try our yummy Detox Greens Superfood Powder instead.
Last but not least, fresh spices and herbs are other sources of antioxidants. These include cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, parsley, oregano, and more.
What Are the Best Antioxidant Drinks?
Technically, any beverage made with plants should provide you with some antioxidants. But some give you much more bang for your buck. Antioxidant drinks can be an easy, convenient, and delicious way to give your body the wellness support you deserve.
Here are three of our favorite antioxidant drinks to supercharge your wellness with Superfoods:
1. Detox Greens Superfood Powder
Our Detox Greens Superfood Powder is made with a synergistic blend of green Superfoods that actually taste good!
Its superstar ingredient? Spirulina. Spirulina is a potent algae that has antioxidant properties that can support the body in scavenging free radicals. Our formula also includes celery and dandelion for anti-inflammatory and detoxifying benefits, all while bringing you a light and fresh taste.
2. Immunity Berry Sparkling Superfood Tonic
Berries have some of the highest antioxidant content in the entire world. That’s why we made our Immunity Berry Sparkling Superfood Tonic with a blend of blueberries, goji berries, and elderberries.
Thanks to their high nutrient content, these berries can help protect your wellness while supporting your immunity and offering a power-packed antioxidant boost.
3. Cacao Clarity Superfood Powder
Like your favorite hot cocoa, but for adults. Our Cacao Clarity Superfood Powder is made with raw cacao, arguably one of the most delicious sources of antioxidants in the world. Our formula supports mental clarity, nervous system function, memory, and focus — the perfect recipe to help you perform at your best both inside and out.
Plus, a blend of maca, lion’s mane, and ashwagandha work together to increase feelings of calm and reduce free radical damage from stress. Enjoy it as an afternoon pick-me-up, an upgrade to your morning coffee, or a little boost whenever you need one.
Supercharge Your Wellness With Antioxidants
Antioxidants are substances that can help support your overall wellness by working to prevent free radicals and oxidative stress from causing damage. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can cause DNA damage if left to their own devices, but antioxidants can help support your body against this.
You can find antioxidants in many sources, like fruits and vegetables, and our Sparkling Superfood Tonics and Superfood Powders make it easy (and delicious) to get your antioxidant fix. Our formulas are plant-powered, vegan, and non-GMO to support your overall health and wellness — because we believe in the power of Superfoods.
Sources:
Stress in America™ 2020: A National Mental Health Crisis | APA
Oxidative Stress: Harms and Benefits for Human Health | PMC
Oxidative stress, aging, and diseases | PMC
What is oxidative stress? | NCBI
Vitamin C and Immune Function | PMC
Effects of antioxidant supplementation on the aging process | PMC
