Fortunately for us, the body has a number of mechanisms to minimize free radical induced damage and to repair the damage which does occur. Enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase, these are only a few of the substances found in the body that can help repair cell damage. This proves that while it is still early to say that honey can be a dietary antioxidant, it does point out its vast potential in terms of antioxidant properties. Principal researcher Nicki Engeseth, a professor of food chemistry in the University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmenal Sciences, agrees with this. These substances are called free radicals. Free radicals can be harmful to the body, especially if there is an excess of them. They may cause damage to the cell membranes, causing them to weaken. Because free radicals are chemically unstable, they have this bad habit of stealing electrons from stable molecules and in so doing, turn these molecules into free radicals themselves. Recently, scientists have discovered the substance responsible for many of the health benefits we've been receiving from plants. 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. Some of the basic food groups that prove to be rich sources of antioxidant vitamins are the following: Breads, cereals, pasta, and starchy vegetables (such as potatoes, yam, squash, etc.) Fruits and vegetables Fat-free milk and low-fat dairy products Lean meat, fish, and poultry Incidentally, if you pattern your diet after this basic food group, you not only ingest a high level of natural antioxidant vitamins, but you also keep fat buildup in your body. It has been found that a substantial link exists between free radicals and more than sixty different health conditions, including the aging process, cancer, and atherosclerosis. By reducing exposure to free radicals and increasing the intake of antioxidant enzyme rich foods or antioxidant enzyme supplements, your body's potential to reducing the risk of free radical-related health problems is made more palpable.