Free radicals are molecules produced by your body when it breaks down food, or when exposed to environmental toxins, tobacco smoke, radiation, unhealthy food and stress to name a few.

Free radicals interact with other molecules within cells, this causes oxidative damage to proteins, membranes and genes and has been implicated in the cause of many diseases including heart disease, macular degeneration, diabetes, cancer, neurodegenerative disease and Alzheimer.

Antioxidants - the free radical scavengers

To protect itself the body produces antioxidants who's job it is to neutralise free radicals and hence prevent and repair damage done by these free radicals. Your body's ability to produce antioxidants (its metabolic process) is controlled by your genetic makeup and influenced by your exposure to environmental factors such as diet and smoking.

Antixoidants work in the same way that Orange juice prevents an apple from turning brown once you have cut it. The apple turns brown because it is exposed to the air and oxidation starts to take place, the orange juice, which contains the antioxidant vitamin C protects the apple from the oxidative process preventing it turning brown.

Changes in our lifestyles, which include more environmental pollution and less quality in our diets, mean that we are exposed to more free radicals than ever before.