What are Antioxidants and Free Radicals?

“Antioxidant” is a word that most of us are pretty familiar with, right? But what does it really mean? What are they, what do they do, and why do we care about getting them anyway? I’ve tried to explain all this in the most simple, basic way. (not because I think you’re simple or basic, but because I am). If it doesn’t make sense, pretend you never read it and promise you’ll still be my friend, okay?