| Free radicals have been implicated in a number of disease processes, including asthma, cancer, cardiovascular disease, cataracts, diabetes, gastrointestinal inflammatory diseases, and other inflammatory processes. An imbalance in the oxidant versus antioxidant processes (oxidative stress) is thought to cause the subsequent cellular damage leading to the disease processes. Eating a wide range of fruits and vegetables is associated with a high intake of antioxidant nutrients, vitamins C, E, and beta-carotene |