Question

1. how can an antioxidant protect against free radical damage? be specific

2. name the two forms of iron found in food

3. list the general food sources for each form of iron

4. list the two forms of irons absorption rates.

Answer 1

1.Antioxidants are nutrients that help minimize free- radical damage to the body.Antioxidents combat free radicals in several ways:That reduces the energy of the free radical,stop the free radical from forming in the first place,or interrupt an oxidizing chain reaction to minimize the damage caused by free radicals.

Intake of variety of antioxident enzymes ,vitamines,minerals and herbs are the best way to provide the body with the most complete protection agenist free radical damage.

2.Iron is one of the most investigated and best understood nutrient;There are two forms of dietary iron:

a)Heme iron

b) Non-heme iron

Heme iron is easier for our body to absorbe than non-heme iron

Non-heme iron is more easily absorbed when consumed with a vitaminC.

3.Heme iron is found only in meat, poultry,seafoodand fish,so heme iron is the type of iron that comes from animal proteins in our diet.

Non-heme iron,is found in plant based foods like grains,beans,vegitables,fruits,nutsand seeds and also found from animal products such as eggs or milk/dairy and also comprises more than half the iron cotained from the animal meat.

4.Two forms of iron absorbtion rate:

Iron absorbtion may be depending upon the requrement of type of iron in our body and bioavailability.Depending upon the individuvals iron stores,15% to 30% of heme iron is absorbed.Heme iron derived from hemoglobin and myoglobin of animal food sources.that is the most easily absorbable form

Initial uptake and absorption of non-heme iron were 11%and 7%,respectively,and absorption of heme iron was 15%.Two third of the non-heme iron taken up by the mucosa within 8h was retained by the body after 2 weeks.