Antioxidants in fruits

Fruits and vegetables have historically been considered rich sources of some essential dietary micronutrients and fiber, and more recently they have been recognized as important sources of natural antioxidants and contain thousands of phytonutrients.

There are many biologically plausible reasons for this potentially protective association, including the fact that many of the phytochemicals act as antioxidants. Fruits contain many diverse antioxidants.

The main antioxidants in fruits are vitamin C, which is colorless and the carotenoid and flavonoids families of antioxidants that provide fruits with their orange, yellow, pink, red and purple colors.

Daily consumption of fruits increased the oxygen radical absorption capacity of blood, indicating superior antioxidant defense of the body.

Many epidemiological studies show lower risk of various diseases in those who have a plant rich diet or who have higher levels of plant-derived antioxidants in their plasma.

The eating pattern, food composition and matrix and colonic microflora and biotransformation affect the bioaccessibility of dietary antioxidants.
Antioxidants in fruits