Antioxidants, Part 1 - What role do antioxidants and free radicals play in health and disease?

Antioxidants are thought to provide protection from damage to cells in the body from unstable molecules known as free radicals. Examples of antioxidants include vitamins (beta-carotene, C, E, and A) and carotenoids (lycopene and lutein). In addition, the mineral selenium, while not technically an antioxidant, is a component of important antioxidant enzymes, and is often mentioned as an