An Anti-Oxidants Cheatsheet

Are anti-oxidants good for skin?

No matter what time of year it is, many of us are always keen to find natural and healthy ways to brighten our skin, reduce the signs of ageing and ‘glow up’. We talk about this a lot at Equi London. but today we wanted to hone in on an area that is often referred to, but rarely in much detail - anti-oxidants. Don't worry, we aren't going to bog you down in science, but we did want to give you a simple cheat sheet that covers what different antioxidants do, and what foods to find them in.

What are anti-oxidants?

Anti-oxidants are found in the pigments that give fruit, veggies, seeds and some other foods like seafood their colour. These pigments, sometimes known as phyto-chemicals or phyto-nutrients are amazing natural compounds that can have a huge array of benefits to the body, be that for your energy, immunity, digestion, joints, brain health, cardiovascular system, cholesterol and so on. 

Eating them helps to keep the right balance between oxidants (AKA free radicals) and anti-oxidants in the body.

What does this actually mean?

Put simply - the free radicals are compounds that we can either produce naturally, or that we take in from our environment (pollution, alcohol, smoking, toxic chemicals). Having some of the free radicals we produce ourselves in the body isn't harmful to us (actually we can't survive without them) but in high levels they can cause damage to our cell structures and DNA and create inflammation. Anti-oxidants neutralise these and help to ensure we have a healthy balance. In so doing they prevent excessive ‘oxidative damage’ to our cells, mediate inflammatory processes, whilst also feeding our all-important gut microbiome.

Anti-oxidants are also especially nourishing to our skin, helping to enhance brightness, glow, reduce inflammation whilst also helping the body to combat some skin conditions. Hence why we call them anti-ageing anti-oxidants.

Where to find anti-oxidants

There are thousands of phyto-chemicals that exist in nature (you may have heard of carotenoids, flavonoids, catechins, glucasinolates and phenolic acids - we break this down in a user friendly way in the table below).

For the best results we want to get as much diversity as possible because they all have different benefits on the body and many of them work together in synergy to enhance each other’s activity.

Below we have highlighted some of the best anti-oxidants for skin and where to find them. You can stick this on the fridge or inside a cupboard door to remind you what foods to look out for. 

Aim to get three or more sources per day to boost your complexion, fight skin conditions, slow the signs of ageing, whilst also nourishing your whole body.

What anti-oxidants should I eat?

ANTIOXIDANT	BEAUTY BENEFITS	FOOD SOURCES
Anthocyanin	Boost skin elasticity	Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, blackcurrants,
	Protect DNA  Brain health	Raw cacao, cranberries, plums
Astaxanthin	Reduces DNA damage	Wild salmon
	Protects against sunburn	Beauty Oil Edition
Beta-carotene	Converts to active vitamin A	Apricots, beets, bell peppers, carrots, cherries, kale,
	Protects against UV damage	papaya, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, butternut squash, all Equi Formulas
Lutein	Protects eye health	Chard, kale, pastured eggs, pumpkin, spinach, Glow Edition
Lycopene	Protects against sun damage Heart health	Beets, grapefruit, papaya, tomatoes (skins), watermelon , Glow Edition
Zeaxanthin	Protects eye health	Apricots, kale, eggs, pumpkin, Glow Edition
EGCG	Fights free radicals  Brain health	Green tea
Epicatechin	Blocks wrinkle formation	Cacao
Gingerol	Reduces inflammation	Ginger Cacao
Kaempferol	Defends against aging	Endive, fennel, leeks
	Protects DNA
	Defends against aging
	Fights wrinkles
Quercetin	Blocks UVB damage	Apples, cherries, cranberries, fennel, green beans,
	Reduces allergies	onions, rhubarb
	Helps with rashes and redness
Rutin	Decreases AGE formation Great for capillary health	Buckwheat, Beauty Formula
Silymarin	Supports liver and gallbladder health	Artichokes, milk thistle
Allicin	Blocks wrinkle formation	Garlic, leeks, onions
	Supports immunity
	Reduces inflammation
Indole 3-Carbinol	Helps balance hormones	Broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, leeks (best lightly cooked)
	Aids oestrogen metabolism
Sulforaphane	Reduces inflammation	Broccoli, broccoli sprouts, cauliflower, kohlrabi
	Reduces redness from UV exposure	turnips, watercress
	Boosts glutathione
Capsaicin	Blocks wrinkles	Cayenne, chilli peppers,
	Reduces inflammation
Curcumin	Reduces inflammation in the gut & Brain	Turmeric Beauty Formula, Glow Edition, Original Formula, Menopause Formula
	Hormones benefits
	Supports joints
	Aids Immunity
	Pain management
	Supports detoxification
Ellagic Acid	Blocks wrinkles	Pecans, pomegranates, raspberries, strawberries
	Cardiovascular health
	Aids in blood sugar balance
Betaine	Boosts glutathione production	Beetroot
	Aids detoxification (and methylation)
Chlorophyll	Oxygenates blood	Cucumber, leafy greens, parsley, wheatgrass, barley grass
	Detoxifies metals
	Feeds good bacteria in the gut
Couramin	Lowers blood pressure	Celery
	Supports healthy digestion
Lignan	Protects DNA	Ground flaxseed
	Suports hormone balance	Menopause Formula
Resveratrol	Activates sirtuin genes	Raspberries, red grapes with seeds, red wine
	Switches on reparative enzymes	Cacao, blueberries, Beauty Formula,  Glow Edition

 

Disclaimer: Certain supplements are used for different reasons and a one-size-fits-all approach shouldn’t be adopted. In addition, pregnant women and anyone on medication should always consult a doctor before embarking on a supplements programme. As with all articles on www.equilondon.com, this is no substitution for individual medical or nutritional advice.