Antioxidants are compounds that are added to fat and oil-containing foods to help slow down or prevent rancidity. Antioxidants can be nutrients as well as enzymes that are proteins that aid in chemical reactions. These help to prevent cancer, heart disease, and other chronic diseases.

Ascorbic acid and tocopherols are natural antioxidants, but butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene are synthetic antioxidants (BHT).