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Nutrition Science and Everyday Application - beta v 0.1

Nutrition Science and Everyday Application - beta v 0.1

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Vitamins <strong>and</strong> Minerals as Antioxidants<br />

WHAT ARE ANTIOXIDANTS, AND WHY DO WE NEED THEM?<br />

Recall from Unit 1 that atoms are composed of a nucleus, which contains neutrons <strong>and</strong><br />

protons, <strong>and</strong> electrons, which orbit the nucleus. Atoms are most stable when they have an<br />

even number of electrons, so that they can orbit the nucleus in pairs.<br />

An atom or group of atoms with an unpaired electron is called a free radical. Free<br />

radicals are inherently unstable <strong>and</strong> highly reactive. They steal electrons from other<br />

molecules in order to stabilize themselves, but in doing so, they create additional free<br />

radicals. This electron-grabbing is called oxidation <strong>and</strong> can set up a chain reaction, creating<br />

new free radicals <strong>and</strong> damaging important molecules along the way, similar to how one<br />

falling domino can bring down countless more.<br />

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