Summary
Areas of Science
Difficulty
Time Required
Short (2-5 days)
Material Availability
Readily available
Cost
Low ($20 - $50)
Safety
Adult supervision is recommended. Use caution when using sharp knives and do not eat any of your experiments.
*Note:
For this science project you will need to develop your own experimental procedure. Use the information in the summary tab as a starting place. If you would like to discuss your ideas or need help troubleshooting, use the Ask An Expert forum. Our Experts won't do the work for you, but they will make suggestions and offer guidance if you come to them with specific questions.
If you want a Project Idea with full instructions, please pick one without an asterisk (*) at the end of the title.
If you want a Project Idea with full instructions, please pick one without an asterisk (*) at the end of the title.
Abstract
Antioxidants have become very popular in the news lately for their potential health and anti-aging properties. Antioxidants work by preventing oxidation reactions that produce free-radicals which can cause harm to the body. Try testing different vitamins for antioxidant activity. How do vitamins A, B, C, and E compare? Do some vitamins have more antioxidant activity than others? What are some other sources of antioxidants? Try testing extracts from proposed sources of antioxidants like coffee, tea, tomatoes, carrots, grapes, and berries (MedlinePlus, 2006). Do nuts contain antioxidants? Does roasting or processing affect the antioxidant properties of nuts? (Hopkins and Watts, 2003) A simple way to test for antioxidant activity is to see if the reagent can keep an apple slice from browning.Bibliography
- Hopkins, Z., and Watts, R. (2003). Nuts and the Dark Side of Oxygen. Retrieved May 1, 2006.
- MedlinePlus. (2006). Antioxidants. Retrieved May 1, 2006.
Ask an Expert
Do you have specific questions about your science project? Our team of volunteer scientists can help. Our Experts won't do the work for you, but they will make suggestions, offer guidance, and help you troubleshoot.
Global Connections
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) are a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.
This project explores topics key to Good Health and Well-Being: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
Careers
If you like this project, you might enjoy exploring these related careers:
Career Profile
Ever wondered who plans the school lunch, food for patients at a hospital, or the meals for athletes at the Olympics? The answer is dietitians and nutritionists! A dietitian or nutritionist's job is to supervise the planning and preparation of meals to ensure that people—like students, patients, and athletes—are getting the right foods to make them as healthy and as strong as possible. Some dietitians and nutritionists also work to educate people about good food choices so they can…
Read more
Career Profile
Growing, aging, digesting—all of these are examples of chemical processes performed by living organisms. Biochemists study how these types of chemical actions happen in cells and tissues, and monitor what effects new substances, like food additives and medicines, have on living organisms.
Read more
Career Profile
Some patients prefer to treat certain medical problems without the use of medications, surgery, or other traditional therapies. Chiropractors diagnose and treat problems involving the muscles, skeleton, and nervous system using alternative therapies, such as manipulation of the spine and joints, acupuncture, massage, bracing, and heat therapy. They also counsel patients on how to achieve good overall health through diet, exercise, stress management, and rest. They try to treat the patient as a…
Read more
Career Profile
There is a fraction of the world's population that doesn't have enough to eat or doesn't have access to food that is nutritionally rich. Food scientists or technologists work to find new sources of food that have the right nutrition levels and that are safe for human consumption. In fact, our nation's food supply depends on food scientists and technologists that test and develop foods that meet and exceed government food safety standards. If you are interested in combining biology, chemistry,…
Read more
Related Links
Cite This Page
General citation information is provided here. Be sure to check the formatting, including capitalization, for the method you are using and update your citation, as needed.MLA Style
Science Buddies Staff.
"Antioxidants." Science Buddies,
20 Nov. 2020,
https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/HumBio_p001/medical-biotechnology/antioxidants.
Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
APA Style
Science Buddies Staff.
(2020, November 20).
Antioxidants.
Retrieved from
https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/HumBio_p001/medical-biotechnology/antioxidants
Last edit date: 2020-11-20
Explore Our Science Videos
Turn Milk Into Plastic!
Build a Bottle Centrifuge
DIY Light Up Unicorn Headband