Citation: Kioumarsi, H., Alidoust, M., & Pacheco, R. (2025). Climate Change and Its Influence on Antioxidant Nutrient Quality in Foods. Research Communities by Springer Nature. https://go.nature.com/3KTul3M

SDGs are for all countries of the world. They consist of 17 interconnected objectives that range from agriculture, health, nutrition, and protection of the environment. Of these, one issue is outstanding for its wide impact: climate change. Yet, beyond just threatening global food production, a warmer climate is quietly reshaping the nutritional quality of the foods on which we depend. Among the most vulnerable classes of nutrients under these changes are antioxidants. These vital compounds—among them vitamins C and E, carotenoids, flavonoids, and phenolic acids—protect human health from within. As temperatures rise, as carbon dioxide increases, and extreme weather events mount, antioxidant profiles are changing in plant, animal, and marine foods alike. Understanding these alterations is paramount to safeguarding diets in the future and developing sustainable nutrition policies.

How Rising CO₂ Affects Antioxidants

In fact, higher levels of atmospheric CO₂ actually stimulate photosynthesis, which boosts yields in many staple crops. But this benefit comes at a hidden cost: As plants produce more carbohydrates, the concentration of key antioxidants often decreases, a phenomenon known as carbon dilution. Crops like rice, wheat, and potatoes may grow more biomass, but their contents of vitamin C, phenolics, and flavonoids are often lower. That means if food quantity increases, the quality of food may decline. Lower antioxidant concentrations also weaken plants' own defences, making them more susceptible to pests and diseases-problems which climate change continues to intensify.

The Heat

Temperature elevation exerts a very complex effect on the synthesis of antioxidants. While mild heat stress may transiently enhance the production of some beneficial compounds, long-term and extreme heat generally acts oppositely. High temperatures can disrupt or denature enzymes, damage plant tissues, and reduce the production of antioxidants such as vitamin C and carotenoids. For instance, tomatoes exposed to sustained heat often exhibit reduced levels of lycopene, while carrots usually suffer from beta-carotene loss. Heat waves accelerate ripening, leaving less time for plants to build up antioxidants and shortening the shelf life of produce.

Water Stress

Climate change is also altering precipitation patterns. Drought and flooding are stress factors for plants, which, in turn, affects the production of antioxidants.

Drought: Moderate drought can induce the production of certain protecting antioxidants. Severe drought, however, restricts nutrient uptake and leaf growth, which, in turn, reduces overall antioxidant production.

Flooding: Excess water deprives the roots of oxygen and metabolic processes are disturbed, which decreases antioxidant formation.

This is to say that as rainfall becomes more unpredictable and extreme, there will be wide variations in the antioxidant contents of crops produced across different regions.

Marine Food Sources

The oceans are experiencing similar challenges. Waters warming, and acidification, all have served to change the nutrient profile of fish, shellfish, and algae. Levels of omega-3 fatty acids and marine antioxidants such as astaxanthin are changing due to these conditions. The microscopic microalgae, tiny organisms that form the very foundation of marine antioxidant production, are the most vulnerable. The reduction in their numbers has a cascading effect on the entire food chain, leading to less nutrient-rich seafood being available. Furthermore, degradation and habitat loss of coral reefs place added stressors that may have implications for coastal communities reliant on marine foods for key nutrition.

Postharvest Challenges

Climate change continues to affect the nutritional value of foods even after they have been harvested. Higher temperatures during storage and transportation accelerate the breakdown of vitamins and polyphenols. Power outages from extreme weather events disrupt refrigeration systems, especially in low-income areas, which in turn accelerates nutrient loss and increases food insecurity.

Possible Actions and Final Thoughts

From using advanced breeding and biotechnology to develop crops that maintain or even increase antioxidant levels in stressful conditions to climate-smart agriculture, like improved irrigation, soil stewardship, and agroforestry, which help stabilize nutrient content, a variety of promising strategies can help buffer losses in the antioxidant quality of our food supply in the face of a changing climate. To ensure access and ability of antioxidant-rich foods to support human health in the coming decades, integrating climate adaptation directly into nutrition planning will be required, as rising CO₂ levels, shifting temperatures, water scarcity, and ecosystem decline continue to alter not just how much food we can produce but the nutritional value within it.

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