Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) measures the ability of antioxidants in food to fight free radicals. However, factors such as location and absorption affect TAC, making it difficult to rank foods accurately. The oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) scale is considered the most reliable, but individual differences in absorption and chemical reactions make TAC vary from person to person and region to region.
Total antioxidant capacity is the term used to describe the ability of the antioxidants in various foods to scavenge harmful free radicals in the blood and cells. Often referred to by the acronym TAC, it takes into account the amount of water- and fat-based antioxidants present in foods. Understanding this figure helps people decide which foods offer the most antioxidant benefit.
While some foods, such as berries and artichokes, are considered to be very rich in some types of antioxidants, the researchers concluded that this fact alone is not reliable in understanding the health benefits these foods offer. This is because other factors must be considered, such as where the foods were grown, how well they are absorbed into the body, and how the body will ultimately use them. Scientists are therefore working to measure and rank each fruit and vegetable according to their total antioxidant capacity, in an effort to give consumers a better idea of which foods offer the best defense against free radicals.
Fruits and vegetables grown in one geographical location often tend to have a different capacity from fruits and vegetables grown in another. Environmental components contribute a large part to the TAC, and the scientists say these too need to be factored into the process of setting the food figure before the information is made public. Some experts believe this information should be offered regionally rather than globally to provide a more accurate representation of a food’s antioxidant benefits for consumers living in a particular area.
Experts sometimes differ on how total antioxidant capacity is measured. One method in particular has received a lot of attention and is considered one of the most reliable measurement scales. Known as the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) scale, researchers consider this method to be the most accurate.
Further complicating the process, however, is the fact that each person’s body absorbs antioxidants differently. In any individual food, chemical reactions to other components of the food will also affect its TAC. With so many factors to consider, the figure for most foods and how they will benefit each person can vary frequently from person to person and from one part of the world to another.
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