Why Antioxidants and Other Natural Compounds are Important Antioxidants are vitamins, minerals, and other compounds found in foods that can help slow down or prevent the oxidation process. There are at least 17 compounds in tart cherries with antioxidant properties.
Antioxidants help prevent or repair damage done to the body's cells by free radicals.
Simply put, a free radical is a molecule with a missing electron. An antioxidant, such as vitamin C, vitamin E or beta carotene, may donate one of its electrons to the free radical. If no antioxidants are present, a free radical takes an electron from vital cell structures, damaging the cell and eventually leading to disease. Based on the research at MSU, tart cherries are a rich source of naturally occurring antioxidants, which could be effective replacements for synthetic antioxidants. Anthocyanins Anthocyanins are natural colorants belonging to a group of compounds called the flavonoids.