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Montreal Gazette - Antioxidants are good; free radicals are bad, right?

Published: 25 January 2012

There is one thing we know for sure about antioxidants. They sell products. Unfortunately that is just about the only thing we know for sure about this fascinating class of chemicals.

In the public mind, though, antioxidants are superheroes that wage war against those evil free radicals that conspire to rob us of our health and our youth. And according to a variety of marketers, the antioxidants that are naturally present in our food supply are not enough to protect us from the free radical onslaught. We need reinforcements in the form of whatever pill, capsule or potion they have concocted. And these usually come with plenty of testimonials about lives turned around. But what they do not come with is compelling evidence.

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