Understanding Antioxidants: Your Body’s Natural Defense System Antioxidants have become a buzzword in health conversations, but what are they, and why are they so important? These powerful compounds act as your body’s defense mechanism against harmful molecules called free radicals. By neutralizing free radicals, antioxidants help protect your cells from damage and prevent various chronic diseases. What Are Free Radicals? Free radicals are like tiny troublemakers inside your body. They are unstable molecules that form due to everyday processes like eating, exercising, or being exposed to things like pollution, stress, and unhealthy food. Think of them as sparks flying around inside your body—while a few sparks are okay, too many can start causing damage. When these free radicals increase, they can harm your cells, leading to problems like aging, diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer. Antioxidants act like firefighters, stopping these sparks from spreading and protecting your b...