NATURAL ANTIOXIDANTS AND ITS BENEFITS

Abstract

The consumer concern regarding the safety of using synthetic antioxidants in convenient food products has forced and motivated the food processors to seek for natural alternatives. This leads to a situation where the application of synthetic antioxidants started to decrease drastically in food products. Hence there has been a increasing global trend towards the use of natural antioxidants present in fruits and green leafy vegetables. The effects of these natural antioxidants in scavenging the free radicals are well discussed and reported in the earlier studies. The factors that encourage the use of natural antioxidants are its low cost, compatibility with diet and less harmful effect in the human body. The strong H-donating capacities of various phytochemicals make them as a effective natural antioxidants. Phenols present in plant extracts acts as a potential antioxidant by inhibiting the free radical formation and also prevent auto oxidation. Phenolic acids, flavonoids and volatile oils possess higher antioxidant activity and also acts as the essential part of diet and this claims were supported by various scientific evidence. The health promoting capacity of these natural antioxidants help in eradicating chronic diseases such as cancer. Hence in this review the action of antioxidants on free radicals, occurrence, classification and potential health effects of natural antioxidants was discussed.