When zinc, a trace mineral, is combined with tea, coffee, chocolate and other foods that contain specific antioxidant compounds, it boosts protection against the oxidative stress linked to aging and diseases such as dementia, cancer and heart disease, report researchers from Auburn University, in Alabama, and the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, in Germany. Zinc activates a plant compound known as hydroquinone, which boosts foods’ antioxidant properties. Hydroquinone alone cannot break down harmful free radicals, but when combined with zinc, a type of enzyme is created that helps prevent damage to organs and tissues.

This article appears in the February 2019 issue of Natural Awakenings.