It’s not unusual to hear the term “antioxidants” used in all different ways these days, being applied to everything from processed foods through to face creams. But there’s no need to look for expensive potions to get your antioxidants, they’re already in your fridge and pantry, found naturally in the foods we eat every day. But what are antioxidants and why are they important?

Oxidation in the body leads to the production of compounds known as free radicals, which then damage cells and other structures in the body, including DNA.

While the process of oxidation is natural in the body and a certain amount of free radicals are needed for our bodies to work properly, excess free radicals and the damage they cause have been linked to a variety of diseases and certain cancers. Oxidation can be accelerated by a number of factors including stress, smoking, alcohol and pollution.

Antioxidants are compounds which help to round up free radicals and stop them from causing damage. Many compounds found in foods are classed as antioxidants including some vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.

In 2007 the US Department of Agriculture published its first database of the antioxidant activity of selected foods, assessing foods using a method called oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). Basically, the ORAC value for a food is a representation of its potential to round up and neutralise free radicals. The higher a food’s ORAC value, the higher its antioxidant activity for a given weight of food.

Spices were amongst the top scorers . While they are only used in small amounts in meals compared to other foods, their antioxidant activity is so high that even in small amounts they can provide a significant contribution to the diet.

To give an idea of their antioxidant capacity, the total ORAC value for 1g of cinnamon is more than seven times higher than the ORAC value for 100g of tomatoes. Using spices can be a great way of topping up the antioxidant content of a meal and can also have the added benefit of reducing the need for salt to flavour recipes.

While new research on antioxidants is constantly emerging, with the thousands of compounds present in each different food there is still a lot that is unknown. What we do know is that any health benefits are likely to come from eating a wide variety of foods, as different foods contain a large range of antioxidants which work in various ways.

While pomegranate may be high in one type of antioxidant there are many more which it does not contain and may contribute benefits to overall health. Also researchers are currently investigating the possibility that certain antioxidants work synergistically, meaning that two or more antioxidants may have their antioxidant capacities increase when they are consumed together.

So for an antioxidant-rich diet, remember to eat a wide variety of foods every day and next time you want to add some extra flavour to your favourite recipe, reach for the spices to give your meal an antioxidant boost!

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Frying meat on a gas hob can increase your risk of getting cancer, according to new research.

Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology have found that the fumes produced by pan-frying steak on a gas hob contain more cancer-causing particles than those produced from an electric hob, the UK’s Daily Mail reported.

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The findings suggest that it was harmful chemicals produced by heating oil on a gas hob, which reaches higher temperatures than electric, that were the danger, especially to chefs.

But in a warning to barbecue lovers too, scientists also believe that eating overcooked or burnt red meat may increase the risk of cancer because of carcinogenic compounds called acrylamides.

The latest research, published in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine, compared steak cooked in margarine or soya bean oil first on gas and then on electric stoves, examining the particles in the fumes released.

The Norwegian researchers found that meat cooked on gas exposed the cook to higher levels of toxic chemicals called mutagenic aldehydes and heterocyclic amines, at levels deemed to be “probably carcinogenic” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

“Exposure to cooking fumes should be reduced as much as possible,” the research team wrote.

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Dr Deborah Jarvis, of the UK’s National Heart and Lung Institute, told the Daily Mail: “The health message to the public remains the same: keep your kitchen well-ventilated when cooking, and make sure all your gas appliances are well maintained.”

This sounds like an invitation to fire up the barbie and get into the very well-ventilated garden, to us. But maybe cook your steaks medium to rare.

Your say: Would you change your cooking habits because of this latest advice on cancer risks?

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Extracts of a tropical fruit grown on vines could have cancer blocking powers, according to new research.

Scientists studying green and knobbly bitter melon fruit found that certain ingredients interfered with the chemical pathways involved in cancer growth, the BBC reported.

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They found the fruit instructed the breast cancer cells not to multiply and instead encouraged them to commit cellular suicide, although they told the journal Cancer Research that more research was needed.

Study co-author Dr Rajesh Agarwal, from the University of Colorado in the US, said although promising as an anti-cancer agent, trials on animals and humans are still needed.

He said there was no proof that eating a large amount of bitter melon would offer any cancer protection.

The fruit, grown in Asia, Africa and South America, has long been used in folk remedies for diabetes and the treatment of infections.

Scientists hope that one day it could be extracted into a dietary supplement for breast cancer patients

“Breast cancer is a major killer among women around the world, and in that perspective, results from this study are quite significant,” Dr Agarwal said in a media release.

“This study may provide us with one more agent as an extract that could be used against breast cancer if additional studies hold true.”

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Jessica Harris of Cancer Research UK said more research needed to be done before bitter melon extracts could be considered as an alternative to existing preventative measures.

“Many plant chemicals can kill cancer cells in the lab but very few end up as useful cancer drugs,” Harris told the BBC.

“It will take a lot more work and trials on people before we know if this extract could benefit cancer patients or about any unwanted side effects. Many cancer treatments have been developed from plant chemicals, but only after years of thorough research,” she said.

“The most up-to-date, reliable evidence shows that drinking less alcohol, being physically active and keeping a healthy weight can reduce the risk of breast cancer.”

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We all know that discarded chewing gum can make our streets look like a dog’s dinner, but have you ever thought that they may be making your face deteriorate too?

A cosmetic surgeon in America is suggesting that excessively chewing gum could actually give you wrinkles, citing the anecdotal evidence of the customers who come to him seeking surgery.

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“Many of my patients who are gum chewers have a certain pattern of wrinkles around their mouth,” Dr Joel Schlessinger, a dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon from Omaha, told MSNBC.

“And I think the gum is responsible to some degree for it.”

There is as yet no scientific evidence to back up the claim but a Washington, DC, cosmetic surgeon explained to MSNBC how the gum could cause problems.

“I believe chewing gum promotes muscle over-activity and potentially breaks down support tissue within the skin, contributing to volume loss and perhaps loss of skin elasticity,” Dr Hema Sundaram said.

However, as Dr Schlessinger concedes, we’re not talking about moderate gum chewers, to have a real problem you would have to be a dedicated chewer.

“We’re not talking about the occasional gum chewer,” he says. “We’re talking about the person who has a habit of chewing gum and is rarely if ever seen without a piece of gum in their mouth.”

However, other voices in the health sphere actually suggest that chewing gum may have the opposite effect.

“Chewing gum every day from five to 20 minutes can reduce facial wrinkles, improve blood circulation to the face and increase metabolic functions, allowing the wrinkles to gradually dissipate,” health commentator Pradeep Chauhan told the California Chronicle.

So while the jury is still out until detailed research is conducted, don’t give up gum just yet. As Australian Women’s Weekly health expert Karen Inge details below, gum does have its benefits.

Fresh breath: Minted gum can act as a great breath freshener after a meal.

Oral health: Chewing sugar-free gum increases saliva, and can deliver many oral health benefits including helping to reduce plaque, reduce cavities, remineralise enamel to strengthen teeth and reduce and prevent stains.

Stay focused: Many athletes and students report that chewing gum helps them maintain alertness and focus. According to the American Dietetic Association, a study published in Appetite in 2002 showed that chewing gum appeared to improve people’s ability to learn, retain, and retrieve information.

Stress relief: Chewing gum may also help people release nervous energy and provide an outlet for frustration and irritation.

Assist weight loss: Chewing gum can also be a low-kilojoule substitute for high-kilojoule snacks and may help control your appetite. According to the American Dietetic Association, an initial study published in Appetite in 2007 found that chewing gum before an afternoon snack can help reduce hunger and decrease kilojoule intake.

In the study, adults who chewed gum for 15 minutes at one-hour intervals over a three-hour period before an afternoon snack ate 144 kilojoules less of the snack than adults who did not chew gum. Popping a piece of gum in your mouth is a clever diversion from nibbling while cooking and also a great way to signal the end of a meal (personally, I prefer a cup of peppermint tea!).

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We all know that loneliness is not good for the soul, but new research suggests that it can be bad for your body too. Lack of contact with others can actually increase your blood pressure if you are over 50 years of age.

Psychologists at the University of Chicago have found a direct correlation between loneliness and increases in blood pressure, a link that was independent of factors including age, whether a subject smoked, were obese or suffered from depression and stress, the UK’s Daily Telegraph reported.

“Loneliness behaved as though it is a unique health-risk factor in its own right,” researcher Dr Louise Hawkley wrote in the journal Psychology and Ageing.

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As part of a long-term study on ageing, Dr Hawkley and her team asked 229 people aged 50 to 68 a set of questions to determine if they thought of themselves as lonely.

Respondents were asked to rate their acceptance of statements such as, “I have a lot in common with the people around me”; “My social relationships are superficial”; and “I can find companionship when I want it”.

Over a five-year period, the team found a clear connection between loneliness and rising blood pressure.

“The increase associated with loneliness wasn’t observable until two years into the study, but then continued to increase until four years later,” Dr Hawkley said.

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While all levels of loneliness were reflected in higher blood pressure, the loneliest people in the group saw their blood pressure rise more than 10 percent more than their most sociable peers.

There is a suggestion that apprehension about not having friends or partners might be the root of the blood pressure rise.

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High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a risk factor in coronary heart disease, stroke, heart failure, peripheral vascular disease and renal failure.

The latest figures show that 3.7 million Australians suffer from the condition, including 32 percent of men and 27 percent of women over the age of 25.

Your say: Do you think that loneliness is bad for your health? Share your thoughts below.

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If braving the pool or hitting the gym has never been your style, here’s a new way to keep your weight in check: get a good night’s sleep.

Growing evidence is suggesting that not only does sleeping enough help you look and feel good, it can also keep you thin, the UK’s Daily Mail reported.

New research from Birmingham in the UK suggests that some of the 60 percent of Britons now considered overweight or obese could be that way because of sleep deprivation rather than just diet.

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“We have done a series of studies looking at weight and sleep, and studying the metabolic rate,” says Dr Shahrad Taheri, a consultant endocrinologist at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital.

“We discovered that people who sleep for significantly less than seven hours a night often end up being obese.”

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People who get fewer than four hours’ sleep a night are a staggering 73 percent more likely to pile the pounds on, while insufficient sleep can result in cravings for up to 3780 extra kilojoules a day.

Research has shown that even for people who did not suffer from weight problems prior, when subjected to sleep deprivation their weight increased.

“Lack of sleep seems to stimulate the hormones that regulate appetite,” Dr Taheri said. “It leads to higher levels of ghrelin, a hormone that triggers appetite, and lower levels of leptin, that tells your body it’s full.”

And the worrying news is that the problem is set to worsen. Since 1960, the average night’s sleep in the UK has dropped from nine to seven hours, with half of people reporting that they are often so tired at work that they long to go home, the Daily Mail reported.

“The longer you’re awake, the more time there is to eat,” Dr Taheri added. “And obesity is likely to lead to broken sleep. Weight is a factor in sleep apnoea and snoring, which are more likely to wake you during the night, so you can end up in a vicious cycle.”

Your say: Do you find it hard to regularly get a good night’s sleep? Are you often hungrier when you are tired?

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