Photo courtesy U.S. Department of Agriculture

"Look and feel younger!" "Reverse the aging process!" "Boost your energy!" What could possibly do all that? -- antioxidants, devoted pill-poppers will tell you, despite the fact that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has prohibited manufacturers from claiming that consuming their antioxidant products will reduce disease risk.

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­ Each year, countless hopeful Americans shell out billions of dollars on antioxidant supplements (nearly $2 billion, in fact, just on beta carotene and vitamins C and E), believing they will dramatically lower their risk of cancer, heart disease, and memory loss. Most experts agree, however, that taking antioxidants is not a shortcut to good health or the answer to staying young. So, where does that leave us?

In this article, you'll learn the truth about antioxidants: what they are, how they function, how much of them you need, where to find the best dietary sources, and what the latest scientific research shows.