Final answer:
Certain vitamins and nutrients, including Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and β-carotene, can neutralize dangerous free radicals in the body. These antioxidants work by halting destructive oxidation reactions caused by free radicals, and other defense mechanisms also help neutralize these harmful molecules.
Step-by-step explanation:
Substances that can neutralize dangerous free radicals within the body include certain vitamins and nutrients that exhibit antioxidant properties. Vitamins such as Vitamin C and Vitamin E, as well as the provitamin β-carotene, can act as antioxidants. These substances protect the body from the damage caused by free radicals, which are highly reactive molecules with unpaired electrons that can damage cells through oxidation.
Antioxidants work by donating atoms or becoming oxidized themselves to halt the destructive chain reactions initiated by free radicals. For instance, Vitamin E can scavenge harmful by-products of metabolism, and β-carotene is converted into Vitamin A in the body, which also possesses antioxidant effects. Selenium is another nutrient with antioxidant capabilities that work more globally in the body.
In addition to these, other defense mechanisms, such as detoxification within the peroxisome and cellular antioxidants, help neutralize many of these harmful molecules. The consumption of fruits and vegetables, which contain an array of these nutrients, is essential to maintain a defense against oxidative stress.