Consuming lots of antioxidant fruits in your diet will help boost the body's defense against free radicals and oxidative stress (damage caused by free radicals). Oxidative stress is a process which many a scientist has linked with the development of chronic and degenerative diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Fruits and vegetables it seemed contain chemical substances that act on specific, harmful molecules inside our bodies to stop them from damaging our cells. Because these substances work on oxygen by-products called free radicals, they have since come to be known as natural antioxidants. A natural antioxidant protects the body against free radicals. Unfortunately, human beings are one of the few animal species that do not produce their own antioxidants. That is why we depend so much on our diet for our source of antioxidants. In the study about antioxidant juice from pomegranates, researchers have found that the substance can effectively reverse the progression of atherosclerosis, or the hardening of the arteries. Now, you can find antioxidant supplements in the form of Vitamin A capsules in almost any pharmacy or health food store. Beta-carotene antioxidant supplements generally come from orange, yellow, and green leafy vegetables and fruit. It has been observed that people who eat a lot of foods rich in beta-carotene are not generally prone to cancer. Today's medical science has led to several wondrous discoveries about our health and the food we eat. You might be familiar with the saying, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." And it's true because recent studies show that there are certain substances found in fresh fruits and vegetables that can be very beneficial to our health. Scientists have linked free radicals to the development of degenerative diseases, causing massive cell damage that ultimately results in various disorders, such as cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, heart disease, and much, much more. By neutralizing free radicals, antioxidants actually prevent the onset of these diseases and at the same time keep the body healthy and strong.