{"id":25958,"date":"2026-10-10T16:12:41","date_gmt":"2026-10-10T13:12:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/?p=25958"},"modified":"2026-10-10T16:12:43","modified_gmt":"2026-10-10T13:12:43","slug":"free-radicals-what-are-they-and-why-do-we-talk-about-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/en\/free-radicals-what-are-they-and-why-do-we-talk-about-them\/","title":{"rendered":"Free Radicals \u2013 What Are They and Why Do We Talk About Them?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"product\"><div class=\"product\"><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are free radicals?<\/h4><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Free radicals are small, highly reactive molecules that are formed in the body all the time. They have an unpaired electron, which makes them unstable \u2013 and that is why they try to steal an electron from another molecule. This can cause a chain reaction that damages cells.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although it sounds bad, free radicals are not only harmful. They are part of the body&#8217;s normal functioning and arise, for example, when the body produces energy or fights bacteria and viruses. External factors such as smoking, air pollution and UV radiation can also increase the amount of free radicals in the body (Lobo et al., 2010).<\/p><div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is oxidative stress \u2013 when the balance is upset?<\/h4><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Normally the body keeps the amount of free radicals in check with the help of antioxidants. The problem arises when too many free radicals are formed or there are too few antioxidants. This state is called oxidative stress.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Over time, oxidative stress can damage cells and contribute to the development of many diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer&#8217;s disease (Valko et al., 2007; Betteridge, 2000).<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In heart disease, for example, one key factor is &#8220;bad&#8221; LDL cholesterol, which is oxidised by free radicals and begins to accumulate in the walls of blood vessels. This can lead to hardening of the arteries, or atherosclerosis (Steinberg, 1997).<\/p><div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How does the body fight back \u2013 antioxidants to the rescue<\/h4><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fortunately the body is not defenceless. It has its own effective defence system made up of antioxidants. These substances can &#8220;donate&#8221; an electron to free radicals without becoming dangerous themselves. In this way they stop the harmful reaction.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The body produces some antioxidants itself, but they are also obtained from food. Good sources include:<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Berries (blueberries, lingonberries, raspberries)<\/li><li>Green tea<\/li><li>Dark chocolate<\/li><li>Vegetables and fruit (especially those containing vitamins C and E)<\/li><li>Wholegrain cereals and nuts<\/li><\/ul><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Studies have found that a varied, plant-based diet can reduce oxidative stress and protect cells from damage (Riso et al., 2013; Scalbert et al., 2005).<\/p><div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Should you take antioxidant supplements?<\/h4><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many people think that the more antioxidants, the better. But this is not entirely true. Although antioxidants are important, excessive use in supplement form is not automatically beneficial \u2013 and in some cases may even be harmful.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, according to studies, high-dose vitamin C and E supplements have not prevented heart disease or cancer. Some studies have even found a slight increase in mortality in certain population groups (Bjelakovic et al., 2007).<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In other words: the best antioxidants come from food, not from a bottle.<\/p><div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do exercise and stress affect free radicals?<\/h4><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Exercise is a good example of how free radicals are not always harmful. When you exercise, the body produces more free radicals, but at the same time it strengthens its own antioxidant systems. Moderate exercise thus works like &#8220;training&#8221; for the body&#8217;s protective mechanisms (Ristow &amp; Schmeisser, 2011).<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Constant mental or physical stress, on the other hand, can increase the oxidative load. That is why rest, recovery and good sleep quality are also important.<\/p><div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Balance is what matters<\/h4><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Free radicals are not just villains \u2013 they are part of the body&#8217;s normal functioning. Problems begin only when too many are formed or the defence systems do not work properly. The good news is that you can influence this yourself:<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Eat a varied diet with plenty of vegetables<\/li><li>Exercise regularly but do not burn yourself out<\/li><li>Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol<\/li><li>Sleep enough and avoid long-term stress<\/li><\/ul><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With these means you help your body keep the balance between free radicals and antioxidants in order \u2013 and at the same time support your health in the long term.<\/p><div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sources<\/h4><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Lobo V. et al. (2010): Free radicals and antioxidants in the human body<\/li><li>Betteridge D. (2000): Oxidative stress and its significance<\/li><li>Steinberg D. (1997): LDL cholesterol and hardening of the arteries<\/li><li>Valko M. et al. (2007): The effect of free radicals on diseases<\/li><li>Riso P. et al. (2013): The effect of polyphenols on oxidative stress<\/li><li>Bjelakovic G. et al. (2007): Supplements and mortality<\/li><li>Ristow M. &amp; Schmeisser S. (2011): The beneficial stress of exercise<\/li><li>Scalbert A. et al. (2005): Polyphenols in food<\/li><\/ul><div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div><section itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/FAQPage\"><h3 style=\"font-size:28px\">Frequently asked questions<\/h3><div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><h4 itemprop=\"name\" style=\"margin-top:20px;margin-bottom:10px\">What are free radicals?<\/h4><div itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\"><p itemprop=\"text\">Small, highly reactive molecules with an unpaired electron that form constantly in the body, for example in energy production and in fighting germs. Smoking, air pollution and UV radiation can increase them.<\/p><\/div><\/div><div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><h4 itemprop=\"name\" style=\"margin-top:20px;margin-bottom:10px\">What is oxidative stress?<\/h4><div itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\"><p itemprop=\"text\">A state in which too many free radicals form or there are too few antioxidants. Over time it can damage cells.<\/p><\/div><\/div><div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><h4 itemprop=\"name\" style=\"margin-top:20px;margin-bottom:10px\">What are good food sources of antioxidants?<\/h4><div itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\"><p itemprop=\"text\">Berries, green tea, dark chocolate, vegetables and fruit (especially those with vitamins C and E), wholegrain cereals and nuts.<\/p><\/div><\/div><div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><h4 itemprop=\"name\" style=\"margin-top:20px;margin-bottom:10px\">Are antioxidant supplements a good idea?<\/h4><div itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\"><p itemprop=\"text\">Not automatically. High-dose vitamin C and E supplements have not prevented heart disease or cancer in studies, and the best antioxidants come from food.<\/p><\/div><\/div><div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><h4 itemprop=\"name\" style=\"margin-top:20px;margin-bottom:10px\">Is exercise bad because it produces free radicals?<\/h4><div itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\"><p itemprop=\"text\">No. Moderate exercise produces more free radicals but also strengthens the body&#8217;s own antioxidant systems.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/section><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Free radicals are small, highly reactive molecules with an unpaired electron that form constantly in the body, for example in energy production and in fighting germs; smoking, air pollution and UV radiation can increase them. When there are too many free radicals or too few antioxidants, the state is called oxidative stress, which can damage cells over time. The body&#8217;s own antioxidants and those from food (berries, green tea, dark chocolate, vegetables, fruit, wholegrains and nuts) keep the balance; the best antioxidants come from food, not from supplement bottles. This is general information, not medical advice.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":38,"featured_media":20758,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"page_builder":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[60],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25958","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Free Radicals Explained \u2013 Oxidative Stress and Antioxidants | Rimita Green<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What are free radicals, what is oxidative stress and how do antioxidants help? Learn about food sources, the truth about supplements, and how exercise and stress affect the balance.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/en\/free-radicals-what-are-they-and-why-do-we-talk-about-them\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Free Radicals Explained \u2013 Oxidative Stress and Antioxidants | Rimita Green\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What are free radicals, what is oxidative stress and how do antioxidants help? Learn about food sources, the truth about supplements, and how exercise and stress affect the balance.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/en\/free-radicals-what-are-they-and-why-do-we-talk-about-them\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Rimita Green\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/rimitagreen\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-10-10T13:12:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-10-10T13:12:43+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Rimita-Green-Vapaat-radikaalit.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1067\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Robert\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Robert\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Free Radicals Explained \u2013 Oxidative Stress and Antioxidants | Rimita Green","description":"What are free radicals, what is oxidative stress and how do antioxidants help? Learn about food sources, the truth about supplements, and how exercise and stress affect the balance.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/en\/free-radicals-what-are-they-and-why-do-we-talk-about-them\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Free Radicals Explained \u2013 Oxidative Stress and Antioxidants | Rimita Green","og_description":"What are free radicals, what is oxidative stress and how do antioxidants help? Learn about food sources, the truth about supplements, and how exercise and stress affect the balance.","og_url":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/en\/free-radicals-what-are-they-and-why-do-we-talk-about-them\/","og_site_name":"Rimita Green","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/rimitagreen\/","article_published_time":"2026-10-10T13:12:41+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-10-10T13:12:43+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1600,"height":1067,"url":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Rimita-Green-Vapaat-radikaalit.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"author":"Robert","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Robert","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/en\/free-radicals-what-are-they-and-why-do-we-talk-about-them\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/en\/free-radicals-what-are-they-and-why-do-we-talk-about-them\/"},"author":{"name":"Robert","@id":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/#\/schema\/person\/ed3a4540935ee5121cbe7ef7f26c5315"},"headline":"Free Radicals \u2013 What Are They and Why Do We Talk About Them?","datePublished":"2026-10-10T13:12:41+00:00","dateModified":"2026-10-10T13:12:43+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/en\/free-radicals-what-are-they-and-why-do-we-talk-about-them\/"},"wordCount":840,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/en\/free-radicals-what-are-they-and-why-do-we-talk-about-them\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Rimita-Green-Vapaat-radikaalit.webp","articleSection":["Blog"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/en\/free-radicals-what-are-they-and-why-do-we-talk-about-them\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":["WebPage","FAQPage"],"@id":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/en\/free-radicals-what-are-they-and-why-do-we-talk-about-them\/","url":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/en\/free-radicals-what-are-they-and-why-do-we-talk-about-them\/","name":"Free Radicals Explained \u2013 Oxidative Stress and Antioxidants | Rimita Green","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/en\/free-radicals-what-are-they-and-why-do-we-talk-about-them\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/en\/free-radicals-what-are-they-and-why-do-we-talk-about-them\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Rimita-Green-Vapaat-radikaalit.webp","datePublished":"2026-10-10T13:12:41+00:00","dateModified":"2026-10-10T13:12:43+00:00","description":"What are free radicals, what is oxidative stress and how do antioxidants help? Learn about food sources, the truth about supplements, and how exercise and stress affect the balance.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/en\/free-radicals-what-are-they-and-why-do-we-talk-about-them\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/en\/free-radicals-what-are-they-and-why-do-we-talk-about-them\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/en\/free-radicals-what-are-they-and-why-do-we-talk-about-them\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Rimita-Green-Vapaat-radikaalit.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Rimita-Green-Vapaat-radikaalit.webp","width":1600,"height":1067},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/en\/free-radicals-what-are-they-and-why-do-we-talk-about-them\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Etusivu","item":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Free Radicals \u2013 What Are They and Why Do We Talk About Them?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/","name":"Rimita Green","description":"Suomalaista luonnonkosmetiikkaa","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/#organization","name":"Rimita Green","url":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"http:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Rimita-Green-logo.png","contentUrl":"http:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Rimita-Green-logo.png","width":800,"height":826,"caption":"Rimita Green"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/rimitagreen\/","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/rimitagreen\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/#\/schema\/person\/ed3a4540935ee5121cbe7ef7f26c5315","name":"Robert","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b8e33aa19bf66eb29a0cd030e734ea1cbebd7067b5543346f4d8f1a44dcf1f36?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b8e33aa19bf66eb29a0cd030e734ea1cbebd7067b5543346f4d8f1a44dcf1f36?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b8e33aa19bf66eb29a0cd030e734ea1cbebd7067b5543346f4d8f1a44dcf1f36?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Robert"},"url":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/en\/author\/robertbamm\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25958","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/38"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25958"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25958\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20758"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25958"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25958"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rimitagreen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25958"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}