ORAC measures antioxidant levels in food, with high levels believed to slow aging and prevent disease. Fruits, berries, herbs, and spices score high, but there is no industry standard for measurements and manufacturers can exaggerate values.
The oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) value is a system used to measure the antioxidant levels of various foods. It has become a major outlet in the marketing of vitamins, health supplements, juices, and certain types of food products. Although a definitive scientific basis for the ORAC value has not been sufficiently established, a popular line of thought suggests that the higher the antioxidant capacity of a food, the more powerful the role the food plays in the fight against aging theory. by free radicals. The ORAC value cannot be tested on humans.
The buildup of free radicals in cells is believed to be a major contributor to the aging process, as well as various diseases and cancers. Antioxidants have a neutralizing effect on free radicals. Because of this, antioxidant-rich foods can slow the biology of aging and be used as a preventative measure against disease. Supporters of the ORAC value attest to the idea that the system can accurately measure antioxidant levels, specifically the levels of helpful, natural chemicals called polyphenols, and better inform the public about the appropriate antioxidant-rich foods to consume, popularly known as superfoods.
In the scientific ORAC value process, a fluorescent molecule, combined with a radical generator, is evaluated to determine the extent of any oxidative degradation. Antioxidants help preserve the molecule from this type of damage, so the test provides an indicator of how well the molecule has been safeguarded. As a result, the health benefits of the foods from which the molecule was sampled can be better determined.
Fruits, especially berries, have a high ORAC value. Acai berries that have been freeze-dried are estimated to contain around 161,400 units, a very large number on the ORAC scale. The goji berry also has a high ORAC value, weighing in at 25,300 units.
Other types of foods that score exceptionally high on the ORAC scale are herbs and spices. Fresh ginger and cumin have high ORAC values, as do ground cloves, which sounds like a whopping 314,416 units. Nuts, beans, and even unsweetened cocoa powder also have impressive numbers in the ORAC value system.
Although supporters herald the advent of the ORAC value, many scientists are quick to point out that there is no set industry standard for the measurements. Exactly how a food is grown and under what conditions could also affect the ORAC value, which means that two identical foods, grown differently, could have a different value. Also, food and vitamin manufacturers are subject to few restrictions when it comes to this issue and could easily exaggerate the ORAC value of their products.
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