The Health and Wellness Power of Plant-Derived Antioxidants
Dena Baradari-Ghiami, Alison Boucher, Andrew Matthews, Rowyn Mckenzie
Undergraduate Students, University of Guelph
Plant-derived antioxidants are vital to human health and wellness, and understanding their benefits helps explain why they remain valued across scientific and cultural contexts. Plant antioxidants have been intertwined with human health for centuries. They have played an important role in many cultures and have been increasingly linked to oxidative stress throughout their continual discovery and scientific importance (Shukla et al., 2012; Liao et al., 2007). In terms of the synthesis of antioxidants in plant material, many of these antioxidant metabolites are produced as a component of a plant’s metabolism, as a useful tool for survival, or as a defense against pests and diseases (Abeyrathne et al., 2022). Furthermore, in plants, antioxidants comprise a variety of compounds that range in function in the plant, with some of the predominant groups of plant antioxidants being vitamins, polyphenols, and terpenoids (Abeyrathne et al., 2022). Their unique nature as scavengers of reactive oxygen species has aided humans in lengthening lifespan, reducing aging, and contributing to the prevention and treatment of many illnesses and diseases (Bardaweel et al., 2018; Pellegrino, 2016; Sadowska-Bartosz & Bartosz, 2014; Wojcik et al., 2010). Plant antioxidants have several benefits for the human body that can be the result of their addition to a nutritious diet. When multiple antioxidant sources are consumed together, they can act synergistically. This can be achieved using whole foods and a holistic approach to incorporating antioxidants into a nutritious diet. The aim of this paper is to understand how plant-derived antioxidants developed across historical, scientific, and modern wellness contexts.
Wisdom Passed Down: Antioxidants in Traditional Healing Systems
Plant-derived antioxidants carry a long history of traditional use and evolving biochemical research, all of which contribute to their significance in science and culture. Although antioxidants are now explained through oxidative stress and free radicals, their roots lie in many ancient medicinal and dietary practices where cultures classified specific plants as protective or life-preserving. Understanding the scientific workings of antioxidants and how they are used in different cultures helps clarify why they remain valued across many traditions and disciplines.
Beyond cultural traditions, the origins of antioxidant systems go further back in evolutionary history. Antioxidants have a long history that extends beyond the emergence of plants or oxygen-dependent life. According to Ruszczycky and Liu (2017), even though the earliest conditions on Earth were entirely anaerobic, some microbes were already able to produce ergothioneine, a compound that is recognized today as an antioxidant. Ergothioneine can be synthesized without oxygen by the anaerobic bacterium Chlorobium limicola, suggesting that this molecule most likely evolved before Earth’s atmosphere became oxygen-rich (Ruszczycky & Liu, 2017). In ancient settings, ergothioneine may have fulfilled roles unrelated to oxidative stress and was later modified to protect cells once oxygenic photosynthesis transformed global 1 chemistry (Ruszczycky & Liu, 2017). This can suggest that antioxidant systems have evolutionary roots traced back to pre-oxygen Earth.
Throughout the twentieth century, scientists became more interested in antioxidants as they studied oxidative processes and how they affect the body. Early studies have shown that oxidation could harm cells, damaging proteins, lipids, and DNA. This prompted researchers to seek compounds that could slow down or prevent this damage. According to Halliwell (1996), by studying oxidative stress, vitamins, and bodily defense mechanisms, these early trials influenced the first definitions of antioxidants. These findings showed how antioxidants can affect chronic illnesses, aging, and overall health and wellness (Halliwell, 1996).
As science evolved, researchers sought to determine whether antioxidants could help treat diseases. Leopold (2015) explains how scientists investigated whether antioxidants found in food or supplements could protect the heart from cell damage. These studies illustrated how antioxidants have the potential to help prevent disease and helped make them a major topic in medical research (Leopold, 2015). Researchers also studied how antioxidants can support the immune system. Khadim & Al-Fartusi (2021) states that vitamins C and E can help the body fight disease, boost immunity, and lower inflammation, helping to signify the importance of antioxidants as a part of a healthy and nutritious diet. Altogether, these findings contributed to the rise of antioxidants as a key subject in modern nutrition and science.
Long before science could support antioxidants, many ancient medicine systems used plants that are now recognized to be rich in antioxidant compounds. In Ayurveda, many herbs are used in Rasayana chikitsa, a branch of traditional Indian medicine that focuses on immunity, slowing aging, and rejuvenation (Shukla et al., 2012). Plants like ashwagandha, turmeric, ginger, and holy basil have been utilized for ages to boost energy and strengthen the body (Shukla et al., 2012).
Figure 1. (A) Ashwaganda (top left), (B) turmeric (top right), (C) ginger (bottom left), and (D) holy basil (bottom right). (© (A) botaneek, CCBY-SA-4.0; (B) Simon A. Eugster, CC-BY-SA-3.0; (C) BorisAhonon, CC-BY-SA-4.0; (D) Joydeep, CC-BY-SA-3.0. All images adapted (cropped) from Wikimedia Commons.
According to their research, these herbs contain compounds that can stimulate the body’s own antioxidant defenses, which means that old Ayurvedic methods closely correspond with modern biochemical understandings of oxidative stress (Shukla et al., 2012). Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) also incorporates many antioxidant-rich herbs. Liao et al., (2007) explain that TCM categorizes herbs under certain properties, including flavour, nature (cold, cool, warm, 2 hot), and yin-yang balance. Herbs were traditionally used to “clear heat,” improve one’s circulation, or remove toxins based on these criteria (Liao et al., 2007). They investigated 45 widely used Chinese herbs and found that many, especially those that are bitter or sour like Sanguisorba officinalis (great burnet) and Salvia miltiorrhiza (red sage), show strong antioxidant activity (Liao et al., 2007).
Current research shows that many of the foods and plants used by ancient cultures were high in antioxidant compounds. They can be found in many of the medicinal and dietary plants written in Egyptian literature, such as the Ebers Papyrus (Metwaly et al., 2021). Garlic, onions, pomegranates, dates, honey, and aloe, all of which are now known as sources of polyphenols, flavonoids, and other antioxidant chemicals, were used regularly (Metwaly et al., 2021). They were eaten, used in healings, or even used for preservation and cleansing (Metwaly et al., 2021). Their lengthy history in Egyptian daily life and medicine shows that antioxidant-rich foods were appreciated for their benefits even before their chemistry was understood.
Indigenous people in the boreal forest of North America have relied on the land for healing plants that help the body recover from illness and stress (McCune & Johns, 2002). McCune & Johns (2002) studied 35 traditional medicinal plants and found that many of them have high antioxidant activity, including red osier dogwood, staghorn sumac, and Labrador tea. These plants were able to neutralize free radicals just as well as well-known antioxidant standards (McCune & Johns, 2002). What traditional knowledge discovered through experimentation is now confirmed by science: these plants that are used for strength, balance, and recovery contain protective compounds.
Figure 2. (A) Red osier dogwood (top), (B) staghorn sumac (middle), and (C) Labrador tea (bottom). (© (A) Sulfur, CC-BY-SA-3.0migrated-with-disclaimers; (B) Rizka, CC-Zero; (C) Walter Siegmud, CC-BY-SA3.0,2.5,2.0,1.0. All images adapted (cropped) from Sulfur (2005); Rizka (2025); Walter Siegmud (talk) (2008).
The consistency of these findings across geographically and culturally different groups implies that the health-promoting benefits of antioxidant-rich plants were widely observed and valued. These systems show that traditional cultures recognized health-preserving plants long before the science of antioxidants was developed, and current research confirms the biochemical basis of their historical uses. Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ancient Egyptians, and Indigenous healing practices have all shown how certain plants and herbs support strength, balance, and recovery. Today, scientific research identifies the antioxidant compounds found in these same plants and explains why they have and still work so well. This link between modern biochemistry and cultural practices emphasizes how heavily humans have always depended on the natural world for wellness and protection. It also goes to show that scientific research and traditional methods are not mutually exclusive but rather have different ways of understanding the same life-preserving properties found in plants.
Functionality Explained: Antioxidants in Plants and the Body
When it comes to the functionality of antioxidants in plants and the human body, their primary role is to suppress reactive oxygen species before any harm can be done to the cell, regardless of whether the cell is of an animal or plant (Abeyrathne et al., 2022). Antioxidant compounds derived from plants are categorized under vitamins, including vitamins C and E, polyphenols such as flavonoids and phenolic acids, and lastly, terpenoid groups (Abeyrathne et al., 2022). The production of these plant-derived antioxidant compounds is either synthesized as a component of a plant’s metabolism or as a tool for survival or defense against pests and diseases (Abeyrathne et al., 2022).
Vitamins C and E are antioxidants that are highly present in fruits and vegetables (Abeyrathne et al., 2022). Vitamin C, otherwise known as ascorbate, protects against cellular damage resulting from oxidative stress (Abeyrathne et al., 2022). This is performed through a pathway called the ascorbate-glutathione pathway, where vitamin C, alongside another antioxidant called glutathione, acts as a redox buffer, reducing the reactive oxygen species hydrogen peroxide into water, whereby the inactive states of ascorbate and glutathione are regenerated to their reduced, active state to further perform in other biological functions within the cell (Alam et al., 2021). Some of these additional functions of vitamin C include regulating photosynthesis, phytohormone metabolism, cell division, antioxidant regeneration, and as a cofactor for enzyme activity (Alam et al., 2021). Vitamin E, on the other hand, is a fat-soluble antioxidant that protects the cell membrane by impeding lipid peroxidation, directly suppressing lipid-based radicals and singlet oxygen (Abeyrathne et al., 2022; Soba et al., 2020). Although other antioxidants perform the function of depleting reactive oxygen species, vitamin E is particularly potent in restricting lipid peroxidation, with α-tocopherol being the most effective form of vitamin E in suppressing lipid peroxidation (Soba et al., 2020). Polyphenols are amongst the most prevalent plant antioxidants, ranging in structural and functional characteristics, and biological properties (Abeyrathne et al., 2022; Ciumărnean et al., 2020). In terms of human consumption, polyphenol intake is roughly ten times higher than that of vitamin C, and roughly twenty times greater than that of vitamin E (Ciumărnean et al., 2020). Polyphenols are subcategorized into smaller groups, including but not limited to phenolic acids and flavonoids (Abeyrathne et al., 2022).
Of all the polyphenol groups, phenolic acids are among the most abundant phenolic compounds present in plants (Abeyrathne et al., 2022). Due to their abundance, phenolic acids are among the most studied group of polyphenols, and although their full role in plants is unknown, they have been demonstrated to range in function, including in roles of nutrient uptake, structural components, enzyme activity, protein synthesis, photosynthesis, and allelopathy (Kumar & Goel, 2019). Furthermore, phenolic acids have been shown to exhibit a protective role against degenerative diseases, including cardiovascular, cancer, diabetes, and inflammation (Kumar & Goel, 2019). However, the molecular structure of phenolic acids can 4 influence their ability to quench free radicals, resulting in different types of phenolic acids exhibiting varying levels of antioxidant activity (Kumar & Goel, 2019).
Flavonoids are another class of polyphenols that exhibit anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive, anti-carcinogenic, antitumour, and antioxidant characteristics (Ciumărnean et al., 2020; Larin et al., 2023). The biosynthesis of flavonoids is activated by cell exposure to ultraviolet radiation, specifically UV-B radiation, which can cause oxidative damage to the plant, exceeding the capacity of primary antioxidants to reduce reactive oxygen species (Agati et al., 2020). Flavonoids help mitigate oxidative stress by complementing the function of primary antioxidants, thereby reducing the oxidative damage caused by photooxidative stress (Agati et al., 2020). Flavonoids perform this complementary function not only by scavenging for free radicals, but also by activating antioxidant enzymes and inhibiting oxidases to promote the antioxidant activity in the cell (Xiang et al., 2018). When it comes to the antioxidant nature of flavonoids, this behaviour is the direct result of hydroxylation on the flavonoid backbone, where a hydroxyl (-OH) group is bonded to the flavonoid backbone (Larin et al., 2023). This hydroxylation allows for flavonoids to scavenge for free radicals and chelate metal ions. With the antioxidant activity of flavonoids being heavily dependent upon the level of hydroxylation on the backbone, as the greater the degree of hydroxylation, the greater antioxidant activity the flavonoid has (Larin et al., 2023). As well as functioning as an antioxidant, flavonoids are also pigment molecules that contribute to the colouration in fruits and vegetables (Rasheed et al., 2024). Structurally, flavonoids are commonly bound to sugar molecules, forming glycosides, but can also exist as free molecules or as aglycons (Rasheed et al., 2024).
Unlike polyphenols, which are the most plentiful plant antioxidants, terpenoids are the largest, most diverse group of plant-derived metabolites, with over 80,000 terpenoids currently identified (Abeyrathne et al., 2022; Boba et al., 2020; Wang et al., 2023). Additionally, many plant compounds are synthesized from terpenoid precursors, including carotenoids, cytokinins, abscisic acids, gibberellic acids, and brassinosteroids, which range in function from plant growth regulators to pigments and volatile attractants, which can further exhibit antioxidant or antimicrobial characteristics (Abeyrathne et al., 2022; Boba et al., 2020). The general structure of terpenoids consists of a 5-carbon hydrocarbon skeleton, with most terpenoids exhibiting nonpolar characteristics (Abeyrathne et al., 2022). When it comes to their functionality within the plant, terpenoids improve a plant’s resistance to biotic and abiotic factors, with certain terpenoids demonstrating the capability to activate antioxidant enzymes, which regulate glutathione levels, inhibiting pro-oxidase enzymes (Wang et al., 2023). In terms of human health, terpenoids play a significant role in managing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, while also exhibiting anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties within the cardiovascular system (Câmara et al., 2024; Wang et al., 2023).
Overall, when it comes to the function of plant-derived antioxidants in plants and the human body, the main purpose of antioxidants is to suppress reactive oxygen species before harm can be done to the cell (Abeyrathne et al., 2022). However, the strategy by which these plant-derived antioxidants target these reactive oxygen species varies significantly. Additionally, 5 as discussed in this section, as well as exhibiting antioxidant activity, many of these antioxidants further perform a myriad of roles within the plant and in the human body that support the overall health of the organism. Therefore, the applications of plant-derived antioxidants can offer a multitude of health benefits to the human diet, especially as vitamins, phenolic acids, and terpenoids are simultaneously present in the food consumed in the human diet.
Understanding the Benefits: How Do Antioxidants Impact Human Health?
Antioxidants have been the focus of many studies for their potential positive impacts on human health. Antioxidants are compounds which target reactive oxygen species and help to reduce oxidative stress (Wojcik et al., 2010). The functions of antioxidants in the human body have aided in lengthening human lifespans, reducing aging, and preventing numerous amounts of diseases (Bardaweel et al., 2018; Pellegrino 2016; Sadowska-Bartosz & Bartosz, 2014; Wojcik et al. 2010; Salganik, 2001; Carr & Frei, 1999). Antioxidants, therefore, have a significant role in human health due to their associated benefits.
In humans, antioxidants such as vitamin C and E, polyphenols, and others have been studied for their use in prevention strategies for a number of degenerative diseases (Yoshihara et al., 2010; Salganik, 2001). As their positive impact on human health is related to reducing reactive oxygen species, antioxidant levels can either positively or harmfully impact the human body (Salganik, 2001). Plant antioxidants have been shown to have synergistic effects when combined with plant polysaccharides on gut microbiota (Lin et al., 2025). This has been reported for mitigating oxidative stress after intense exercise (Lin et al., 2025). Many studies have reported the benefits of medicinal plant antioxidants specifically for their proactive effects on health and disease prevention (Nasri & RafieianKopaei 2014). Depending on their condition, medicinal plant antioxidants can have a prooxidant effect, increasing oxidative stress in the human body (Nasri & Rafieian-Kopaei 2014). Prooxidant behaviour of antioxidants can be amplified by high concentrations or with the presence of metals, resulting in a depletion of the beneficial antioxidant effect (Nasri & Rafieian-Kopaei 2014). Though this behaviour exists, plant antioxidants have been shown to increase overall human health (Nasri & RafieianKopae 2014; Lin et al., 2025). Though antioxidants in many studies have been shown to positively impact the health of patients, some studies report limited effects (Bardaweel et al., 2018; Sadowska-Bartosz & Bartosz 2014; Wojcik et al. 2010; Salganik, 2001; Carr & Frei, 1999). This is likely due to reduced impacts in healthy individuals (Bardaweel et al., 2018; Sadowska-Bartosz & Bartosz 2014; Wojcik et al., 2010; Salganik, 2001; Carr & Frei, 1999). Individual levels of reactive oxygen species are dependent on baseline level differences from genetics, lifestyle habits, and state of health (Salganik, 2001). This can contribute to the varied effects of antioxidants across a study population (Salganik, 2001; Carr & Frei, 1999). The impact of antioxidants on human health depends on individual factors. Reactive oxygen species also have a dual role: they are involved in biological processes such as mediating apoptosis, but in excess, they are known to cause oxidative stress (Bardaweel et al., 2018; Dato et al., 2013; Salganik, 2001). Oxidative stress is known to cause toxic effects, playing a role in the disruption of bodily processes, disease initiation and proliferation (Bardaweel et al., 2018; Dato et al., 2013; Salganik, 2001).
Figure 3. Afternoon Sun Image (© Pramila murugan, CC-BY-SA-4.0, via Wikimedia Commons).
Oxidative stress is related to the destruction of cellular structures such as DNA, lipids, and proteins (Wojcik et al., 2010). This damage is impactful on human health and disease, aiding in the development of numerous diseases such as cancer, type two diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other neurological and degenerative diseases, as well as speeding up aging processes in humans (Bardaweel et al., 2018; Wojcik et al., 2010; Salganik, 2001). Antioxidants have been studied for their benefits in reducing oxidative stress (Yoshihara et al., 2010). Many natural biological processes produce compounds with antioxidant activity used for bodily regulation of reactive oxygen species (Yoshihara et al., 2010). Although these maintenance processes exist, there is a benefit associated with antioxidant supplementation for human health (Bardaweel et al., 2018; Wojcik et al., 2010; Salganik, 2001).
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient studied for its beneficial effect on the human body (Wojcik et al., 2010). It has been reported to extend the lifespan of cancer patients when administered intravenously, having antitumourous activity, targeting and killing cancer cells in unhealthy patients, and possibly being the result of long tumour regression (Wojcik et al., 2010; Carr & Frei, 1999). This antioxidant plays a key role in the prevention of other diseases as well, such as cataract disease (Carr & Frei, 1999). Antioxidant activity has been measured for its effect on preventing disease and extending lifespan by using biomarkers (Carr & Frei, 1999). Vitamin C, vitamin E, and synthetic antioxidants have been the focus of many studies for their contributions to slowing the aging process (Sadowska-Bartosz & Bartosz, 2014). This occurs through the inhibition of lipid peroxidation of reactive oxygen species, which cause cellular damage, enhancing the speed of aging (Sadowska-Bartosz & Bartosz, 2014).
Mitochondrial dysfunction leads to oxidative stress as well, which can cause harmful effects to neurological tissue, a key component for the initiation of neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, and Parkinson’s disease (Morén et al., 2022). Antioxidants are 7 beneficial to the prevention of these diseases because they reduce reactive oxygen species, which can cause oxidative stress to build up in vulnerable neurological tissues (Morén et al., 2022).
Immune system functions may also be strengthened by antioxidants, which can help limit excessive reactive oxygen species that would otherwise damage immune cells. These reactive oxygen species are propagated by factors such as smoking, UV exposure, and viral infections (Khadim & Al-Fartusi 2021).
Polyphenol antioxidants can reduce inflammation by inhibiting enzymes that contribute to the production of reactive oxygen species, or those involved in the production of compounds that initiate inflammatory processes (Yahfoufi et al., 2018). These antioxidants have also been studied for their impact on cardiovascular disease, aiding in its prevention by reducing reactive oxygen species production, upregulating endogenous antioxidant enzymes, and reducing hypertensivity (Pellegrino, 2016).
A variety of antioxidants are involved in the treatment and reduction of disease, inflammation, aging, and increasing lifespan (Pellegrino, 2016; Wojcik et al., 2010; Salganik, 2001). The primary method of action for antioxidants relating to their impact on human health is to mitigate reactive oxygen species (Wojcik et al., 2010; Salganik, 2001). Reactive oxygen species contribute to oxidative stress, initiating and proliferating harm within the body (Morén et al., 2022; Khadim & Al-Fartusi 2021; Yahfoufi et al., 2018; Pellegrino, 2016; Sadowska-Bartosz & Bartosz, 2014; Wojcik et al., 2010; Salganik, 2001). Through the aid of antioxidants, human health has the potential for a positive impact.
Time to Take Action: Incorporating Antioxidants into a Nutritious Diet
Antioxidants play a powerful role in disease prevention and interaction with overall health. From cognitive ability, immune response, cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality, antioxidants work in harmony with our body to promote health. The association between antioxidants and overall health has been studied through numerous observational studies. One cohort study of 16,010 participants over the age of 70 looked to examine whether berries rich in flavonoids correlated with slower cognitive decline. The study focused on long-term habitual consumption of berries by using a food frequency questionnaire. The results concluded that high, long-term consumption of flavonoid-rich berries, specifically blueberries and strawberries, was associated with slower cognitive decline, approximated to delayed cognitive ageing by 1.5 to 2.5 years (Devore et al., 2012). A different cross-sectional analysis of 525 healthy adults with a mean age of 42 years looked to examine whether habitual polyphenol intake is associated with better cardiometabolic markers. The results concluded that a higher diet in polyphenols was associated with better lipid profiles, lower diastolic blood pressure, better vascular function, lower fasting glucose, and better beta-cell function (Li et al., 2023).
These are just two examples of the many observational studies looking to evaluate the correlation between antioxidants and overall health. Due to the ethics involved in experimentation and human individuality, it can be extremely difficult to demonstrate a direct causal effect of antioxidants on the human body. Observational studies like this aim to minimize 8 confounding factors, but due to the interconnectedness of human health, this is not always possible. As science progresses, more studies need to be done to fully understand this connection.
What is known is that antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables work synergistically with several biological mechanisms to reduce chronic disease and premature mortality (Aune et al., 2017). Of course, many variables influence the effectiveness of antioxidants and simply eating an apple a day will not keep the doctor away. However, obtaining the naturally occurring benefits from antioxidants does not need to be complex or expensive. The key is synergy. Synergy is obtained when multiple antioxidants and phytochemicals are found naturally in a whole food that work together to produce greater health benefit than a single antioxidant could provide on its own. Synergy is a main reason why obtaining antioxidants through a whole foods diet is often preferred to supplementation when possible (Pham-Huy et al., 2008). It can be extremely useful to know what antioxidants are bioavailable in a wide array of foods, and practice eating with intention.
Figure 4. Wild Blueberries Along Blueberry Plains Trail in Wasaga Beach Provincial Park (© Nadia Prigoda-Lee, CCBY-2.0, via Wikimedia Commons).
Compared to animal-derived antioxidants, plant-derived antioxidants are more commonly used in food production due to their high effectiveness at low concentrations. In addition, a variety of antioxidant compounds can be extracted from a single plant source, making plants an effective and obtainable source for antioxidants (Abeyrathne et al., 2022). Many fruits and vegetables grown in Ontario are rich in antioxidants and can easily be incorporated into a nourishing diet, supporting local agriculture and individual health. Berries, spinach, carrots, garlic and ginseng are a few of the many antioxidant-rich plants grown in Ontario that are easily available.
This holistic approach to consuming antioxidants is why they can be linked so closely to wellness. From the foods we consume to how they aid in disease prevention, the focus is on a whole-body approach. Nourishing the body with the antioxidants it requires in harmony with individual health is the goal. Consistency of antioxidant intake, quantity and quality of food sources, and diversity of consumed antioxidants all play a role in the synergy effect of antioxidants. Incorporating seasonally grown produce into a dinner recipe, having a warm cup of tea, or even trying a new fruit or vegetable are all simple ways of obtaining the benefits of plantderived antioxidants in alignment with health and wellness. In this way, antioxidants not only support biological health, but also encourage lifestyle habits focused on nourishment, balance, and long-term well-being.
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