阅读理解

　　Nature is full of colors, from rainbows and roses to butterfly wings and peacock tails．Even the fruits and vegetables you eat have different colors：blue blueberries, red strawberries, green broccoli, and orange carrots．

　　Plants and animals often use colors to attract attention．The substances(物质)responsible for these colors belong to a class of chemicals called antioxidants(抗氧化剂)．Plants make antioxidants to protect themselves from the sun’s ultraviolet(UV)light．

　　Ultraviolet light causes chemicals called free radicals(自由基)to form within plant cells．They can destroy parts of the plant．Free radicals also have damaging effects on human beings．Some of these effects like wrinkled skin can be seen．The damage is caused by the free radicals attacking cells in our bodies．Certain cancers and heart disease are linked to free radicals．

　　Our bodies have natural defences for fighting off free radicals．While we’re young, our defences are pretty strong．However, they get weaker as we get older．The body’s built in defences can only go so far without extra help．

　　The key to fighting free radicals with fruits and vegetables is to mix and match colors．It’s like sunscreen(防晒霜)for the inside of your body．Go for a range of very bright colors．Colorful foods contain hundreds of healthy chemicals not found anywhere else．

　　Research into how chemicals in blueberries affect the brain’s function in rats suggests that these chemicals may help our own brains work more efficiently．

　　Don’t just blame the sun．Ultraviolet light isn’t the only source of free radicals．If you breathe polluted air, such as smog, automobile exhaust(废气), or wasted gas from a factory, you take in chemicals that also cause such damage．And, the body itself produces free radicals as it processes food．