This is probably not the first time you've heard about it. But for the sake of those who have only just stumbled on the term, free radicals are those unstable chemical substances that are highly reactive and are by-products of the process of oxidation in the body. Free radicals at a minimum can be good for the body since their function is to steal electrons from atoms of other molecules, but only if the molecule they're stealing the electrons from are foreign molecules in the first place. This list of foods contained most of the very rich antioxidant foods as ranked by nutrition scientists at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and reported by the University of Alabama website on November 1, 2004. Wild blueberry was narrowly beaten out by the small red bean, which captured the red-blue medal. Their results point to free radicals as the main culprits. It seemed that the more free radicals you have in your body, the faster the aging process becomes. Free radicals are harmful, unstable substances that develop after oxidation, a naturally occurring process of the body. Free radicals are not harmful in themselves. Molecules consist of one or more atoms of one or more elements joined together by chemical bonds. A typical atom is comprised of a nucleus - neutrons, protons, and electrons. Electrons are those negatively charged particles that orbit the cluster of protons in an atom. When there are eight electrons in an orbit, it means that that particular orbit (or shell as it is called) is full which further means the atom is stable. All these are complex compounds found in almost every plant. Carotenoids are the largest group of naturally occurring antioxidants, followed closely by indoles and coumarins. Catechins are the natural antioxidants found in the Camellia sinensis plant where we get our green tea, oolong tea, and black tea. The process is called oxidation and the substance produced is called "free radicals." Because of their highly unstable nature, free radicals increase damage to cells of the body, thus contributing to the aging process. In order to neutralize these free radicals, your body uses certain vitamins, minerals, and enzymes - collectively known as antioxidant antiaging.