Age-related Macular Degeneration Posters

First, we must begin with free radicals, which are molecules that have at least one unpaired electron and therefore can be unstable and highly reactive. The theory goes oxidation (or oxygen metabolism), which is a natural process needed to sustain life, also causes the formation of free radicals, and the free radicals can age and damage your cells, leading to diseases such as cancer.

That’s where antioxidants come in. Found in many foods—from fruits and vegetables to wine, chocolate, and tea—antioxidants are thought to interact with the free radicals, stabilize them, and prevent some of the damage they would otherwise cause. In other words, they protect the body’s cells from the sometimes harmful effects of those wild free radicals.

So it would seem to make sense that consuming more antioxidants—drinking pomegranate juice and eating carrots at lunch, topping up with vitamin supplements C and E—leads to more health benefits, which is probably why the thinkers behind the lunchroom signage encourage cafeteria-dwellers to dive in.