Mushrooms are a group of edible fungi while seaweeds are a group of edible algae. Both mushrooms and seaweeds are cholesterol-free, caffeine-free, low-fat, low-sugar foods that are rich in vitamins, minerals, protein and dietary fibres and therefore, considered as superfoods. Superfoods are multifunctional foods that contribute towards consumer’s health and wellness. They are rich in antioxidants and are consumed to prevent modern-day life style diseases such as heart attack, diabetes, cancer and osteoporosis. Seaweeds and mushrooms are rich in antioxidants that help us to stay fit and young. Antioxidants are present in seaweeds and mushrooms in the form of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and polyphenolic compounds.

Major antioxidant vitamins are Vitamin C and Vitamin E. Major antioxidant minerals are Zinc, Manganese and Selenium. Selenium is essential to form an active site of most antioxidant enzymes. Manganese is required by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Three groups of antioxidant enzymes present in human body are Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT) and Glutathione and Glutathione Peroxidise. All the three are working together to protect body cells from free radical damage.

Polyphenolic compounds or polyphenols are a large group of antioxidants comprising of flavonoids, carotenoids, and anthocyanins. Flavonoids are chemical compounds that plants produce to protect themselves from cell damage. Flavonoids are a subgroup of polyphenolic antioxidants. It reduces cell inflammation, improves memory and concentration, and increases body’s immunity. Anthocyanins are a subgroup of flavonoids. In case of carotenoids, there are about 600 types of carotenoids known till date. Some of these are alpha carotene, beta carotene, lycopene, cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, and lutein. Beta carotene is the most studied carotenoids and is a precursor of Vitamin A.

Health through Antioxidants: An antioxidant is a substance that inhibits oxidation, especially that of free radicals. Free radicals are chemically unstable molecular fragments or atoms that have a charge due to excess or deficient number of electrons and are directly responsible for cell degeneration and resultant ageing process in human beings. The immediate tendency of free radicals, as soon as they are formed, is to become stable by reacting with cellular components (for example: DNA) or cell membrane. The result is DNA damage, malignant tumour formation (cancer), diabetes, cataract, heart diseases and other cell degenerative diseases.

Examples of free radicals are superoxide anion, hydroxyl radical, transition metals such as iron and copper, nitric acid and ozone. Major sources of free radicals are normal oxidation process happening within the human body (i.e. released as a byproduct of cell metabolism), exposure to pollution (free radicals may be present in the air we breathe), exposure to sunlight and lifestyle factors such as alcohol consumption, wrong diet habits (free radicals may be present in the food we eat), stress, and smoking. Examples of cell damage caused by free radicals are cataract (lens of the eyes become opaque), damage to cell’s protective lipid layer (cell membrane), and heart diseases where free radicals trap LDL (low density lipoprotein) in blood artery walls and form coatings. When antioxidants are present in human body, they work towards protecting the body from cell damage by preventing the formation of free radicals.

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