YOU PROBABLY HEAR A LOT OF DIFFERENT ADVICE ON WHAT YOU SHOULD EAT from parents, doctors, teachers, and coaches. But everyone seems to agree that eating fruits and vegetables is a healthy choice. One of the reasons is a class of chemicals called antioxidants, which remove potentially damaging compounds present in our bodies. Antioxidants are found in a variety of fruits and vegetables, red meat, fish, and nuts. But many teens and adults are not getting enough of these nutrients in their diets, putting them at risk for developing serious conditions later in life. Studies have shown that teenage girls often do not get enough vitamins A and E, which are antioxidants in food, and teenage boys do not get enough vitamin E. So how do antioxidants work, and why do we need them, as part of our diets?
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