What is Oxidation? How to anti-oxidation?

We often hear the terms oxidation and the phenomenon of oxidation. However What is oxidation?? What is an oxidizing agent? What does oxidation look like? and how the oxidation process takes place is not well known and understood. So let’s find out more details through the article below.

What is Oxidation?

Imagine the apple we half-bite left in the air for a long time or refrigerated after a while will turn yellow and slightly dry. Or fresh milk after opening the box and not using it for a long time will be fermented with a sour smell and cannot be used anymore. Or a nail left outside for a long time, soaked in water will rust and turn yellow. This is the result of oxidation.

Oxidation is a chemical reaction that occurs when oxygen comes into contact with and reacts with a substance (be it metal or non-metal) causing a change in shape, color or nature. Where there is oxygen there is sure to happen oxidation.

What is oxidation? What is an oxidation reaction?

Oxidation is the loss of electrons in a reaction of a molecule, atom or ion. Oxidation occurs when the oxidation state of a molecule, atom, or ion is increased. The reverse process would be called reduction, which occurs when there is an increase in electrons or a decrease in the oxidation state of an atom, molecule or amount of ions.

Redox reaction

React Redox is a chemical reaction in which electrons are transferred between the substances involved in the reaction. In simple terms, this is a reaction that causes some elements to change oxidation numbers. The redox reaction will consist of two main parts, half being reduced and half being oxidized, always occurring together. The reduced half gains electrons and the oxidation number loses, while the oxidized half loses electrons and the oxidation number increases.

There is no real change in the number of electrons in the redox reaction. Substances produced in an oxidation half reaction are taken up by another substance in a reduction half reaction.

Oxidation example

The easiest example of oxidation is when iron is left in the air with oxygen to form iron oxide or rust. Iron has been oxidized to rust. The process reaction is:

2 Fe + O 2 → Fe 2 O 3. Iron metal (Fe) in the process of oxidation has formed iron oxide, also known as rust.

Another example of a reaction between hydrogen and fluorine gas to form hydrofluoric acid:

H2 + F2 → 2 HF

In this reaction, hydrogen is Oxidation and fluorine is reduced. This reaction can be better understood if it is written in terms of two half-reactions.

H2 → 2 H + + 2 e-

F2 + 2 e- → 2 F-

(Note that there is no oxygen anywhere in this reaction.)

What is an oxidizing agent?

Oxidants is a compound or element present in a redox reaction that accepts electrons derived from another species. An oxidizing agent readily transfers oxygen atoms or another substance to gain an electron. If an agent in the reaction releases oxygen or gains electrons or hydrogen, it is considered an oxidizing agent. The oxidizing agent is reduced when it gains electrons.

Although oxidants are often harmful such as corrosive metals, spoiling food, aging the body, etc. However, there are some very useful oxidants such as hydrogen peroxide disinfectant and bleach.

An oxidizer is a substance that is not flammable, but can release oxygen and contribute to the combustion of certain materials. Therefore, oxidizing agents are classified into two types. The first are oxidizing agents that can produce oxygen, increasing the chances of combustion. The latter are oxidizing agents that easily ignite in the presence of an external catalyst.

So are there antioxidants or not? What are antioxidants? Let’s find out more with Ocany!

What are antioxidants?

Antioxidants is a type of compound that has the ability to slow down or prevent oxidation. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that usually produces free radicals. This is the main cause of cell damage, leading to oxidative stress as well as a number of other chronic diseases. Meanwhile, antioxidants can scavenge free radicals to prevent oxidation from occurring.

Antioxidants have a number of salient features as follows:

• Can be dissolved in water or in fat. If dissolved in water, the antioxidant will react with the oxidant in the cytoplasm and plasma. If dissolved in fats (lipids), antioxidants help protect cell membranes. Avoid lipid peroxidation.
• Acts as a reducing agent when certain metals such as iron or copper are encountered, increasing oxidative stress

In the body, free radicals are constantly being generated. This is the main cause of some dangerous diseases for the body and accelerates the aging process. Without antioxidants in the body, free radicals will cause serious damage very quickly. When free radicals outnumber antioxidants, it can lead the body to a state known as oxidative stress. Prolonged oxidative stress damages DNA and other important molecules in your body.

Sometimes it even leads to cell death, which eventually leads to death. Therefore, your body needs to maintain a certain balance between free radicals and antioxidants.

Adequate intake of antioxidants is very important. In fact, the body’s survival has always depended on absorbing a number of antioxidants – namely vitamin C and vitamin E.

So how to add antioxidants to the body? And where are antioxidants usually found?

Where are antioxidants found?

There are hundreds of different types of antioxidants with different roles. They can interact with each other to bring health effects. However, you can provide antioxidants to the body through two common sources: in daily food and in alkaline ionized drinking water.

In everyday food

Every being, whether living organism or animal, as well as all other life forms has the ability to protect and fight against free radicals caused by oxidative damage. Therefore, antioxidants are found in foods of plant or animal origin.

• Chocolate is formed from cocoa powder and cocoa butter, with the right ratio of sugar and milk to create a moderate sweetness. Therefore, the antioxidant content in chocolate is very diverse, including some specific substances such as flavonoids, polyphenols and catechins.
• Berries, green tea, and coffee are known to be rich sources of antioxidants. According to several studies, coffee is the largest source of antioxidants in the Western diet. These are partly because the average Westerner doesn’t eat that many antioxidant-rich foods.
• Common foods like meat and fish also contain antioxidants, but to a lesser extent than fruits and vegetables.

Additionally, antioxidants can increase the shelf life of both natural and processed foods. Therefore, they are often used as food additives.

In alkaline ionized drinking water

Alkaline ionized water is very good for the body because alkaline ionized water is rich in hydrogen. Hydrogen contained in alkaline ionized drinking water is a perfect anti-aging agent. When drinking water, it will provide a source of natural antioxidants, helping to enhance the immune system in the human body. Hydrogen will help neutralize free radicals (active oxygen in the body).

Daily use of alkaline ionized water will help improve health, enhance the immune system, thereby helping the body to prevent more diseases caused by free radicals.

Another highlight when it comes to alkaline ionized water is the ability to add essential minerals. The water after going through the RO screen will be removed all impurities, dirt, harmful bacteria. But will still retain the necessary amount of natural minerals thanks to mineral circulation technology. Regular use of alkaline ionized water will help supplement calcium, potassium, .. prevent osteoporosis effectively.

80% of the food we eat every day is acidic. This long-term accumulation process will cause our body to encounter diseases such as stomach, colitis, reflux, gout, digestive disorders and some diseases related to excess cholesterol.

Therefore, the use of alkaline ionized water to neutralize acids is essential. Thanks to its alkaline nature with pH from 8.5 to 11.5, electrolyte water has the ability to help the body easily neutralize acids and balance the pH in the body. From there, it supports the prevention and treatment of diseases related to the intestines, stomach and digestion.

Epilogue

Although there are some beneficial oxidants, almost all oxidants are harmful especially to the human body. Therefore, it is necessary to understand what oxidation is, what antioxidants are and how beneficial or harmful antioxidants are to find the right source of antioxidant-rich foods for the body to stay healthy. , resilient and full of positive energy. Hope the above information will provide you with useful information.

See also: What is alkaline water? – Ideal source of water for a healthy lifestyle

See also: What are alkaline earth metals? Foods with alkaline earth metals