Are Antioxidants For the Birds?

I admit that The Economist is, as weekly publications go, one of the best out there. But it's difficult to be a regular enthusiast of their articles on foreign elections, the strength -or should I say weakness- of the dollar, Kim Jong, and EU regulation. Basically, it takes a bit more mental energy to digest than, say, InStyle.
However, a recent perusal of this text-heavy newsmag revealed a fascinating piece on antioxidants.

Antioxidants were a top hit of 2007. They're little biochemical wonders that clean up molecules in the body known as free radicals that would otherwise damage cells. They have been shown to have cancer preventative properties; other benefits include anti-aging and improved physical recovery from exercise. Modern science tells us (and we believe them) that antioxidants are extremely important for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. So where are these suckers? The principle micronutrient (vitamin) antioxidants are vitamin E, beta-carotene, and vitamin C. In other words -- fruits and vegetables.

And we know, as wonderfully educated human beings, that these are good sources of antioxidants. We have access to analyses of various foods and their antioxidant content. We also have access to Jamba Juice and Naked antioxidant-loaded concoctions. But what about animals?

In Germany, Martin Schaefer and his team of scientists wanted to see if and how creatures can sense antioxidants. The article explains:

They analysed how 60 different fruits appear to the birds that disperse their seeds. Birds see colours in their own way, because they are sensitive to wavelengths, such as ultra-violet, that are invisible to people. The researchers found that birds could clearly perceive the strong ultra-violet coloration given to the fruit by the presence of a group of antioxidants called anthocyanins.

Little geniuses, aren't they. The next step is to find out if birds know to supplement their diet with more antioxidants during "stressful" times, like during migration -- kind of like us reaching for that extra tangerine (ok, or glass of red wine) when we're feeling a little under the weather. So you see, we may have more in common with critters after all.