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Thursday, May 7, 2009
ORAC Scores, A New Measure of Healthy Foods
Talking about Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, or ORAC scores without speaking of antioxidants and free radicals is like holding a swimming competition without water.
You might address both topics using a common language, but nothing of merit will be achieved unless the basics of comparison and substance, antioxidants and free radicals for the former and water for the latter, are met.
ORAC score ratings, which measure the antioxidant capabilities of foods and chemical substances, were first devised in 1992, but to date aren’t judged uniformly for accuracy by the Federal Drug Administration. That means, realistically, that an illicit company can advertise it has higher ORAC scores than a company selling products higher in antioxidants without legal repercussions.
In essence, the boundaries have not been set yet.
Generally speaking, the higher the ORAC score, the healthier the food because ORAC scores measure the effectiveness of antioxidants in the body to combat free radicals. And free radicals, in simple terms, are thought to be molecular factors in causing cancer, some heart diseases, obesity, constant fatigue, and can lead to early aging.
Some factors about ORAC scores are as follows:
* To maintain health, an average adult should consume the equivalent of 1,750 ORAC score-units per day
* Though studies are far from complete, currently there’s no established ceiling of how many ORAC score- units one can consume in a day
* Free radicals are caused by normal body functions, such as by the process of oxidation, and by environmental factors such as pollution, cigarette smoke, radiation from the sun and electrical appliances, and rancid food
* The ORAC score test was developed by Dr. Guohua Cao, a chemist and physician at the National Institute on Aging, in Baltimore, Maryland
* The recommended physician’s diet of consuming five servings of fruits and vegetables per day, on average, will meet a person’s quota of ORAC score-units
Some fruits that record high ORAC scores (per 3.5 ounces) include:
* Prunes … 5770
* Raisins … 2830
* Blueberries … 2400
* Blackberries … 2036
* Strawberries … 1540
* Raspberries … 1220
Some vegetables that record high ORAC scores (per 3.5 ounces) include:
* Kale … 1770
* Spinach … 1260
* Brussels sprouts … 980
* Alfalfa sprouts … 930
* Broccoli flowers … 890
* Beets … 840
Science has shown that consuming foods with high ORAC scores--where the tiny acai berry native to Brazil is thought to yield the highest score on the planet and unprocessed cacao, too, rates extremely high--can raise antioxidant levels in the blood by as much as 25 percent. To reach those lofty figures, experts recommend the consumption of about 5000 ORAC score-units daily, possibly by additional servings of bright-colored fruits and vegetables, or dark greens.
Many things about ORAC scores, including the fact spinach is a more effective antioxidant than strawberries, which records a higher ORAC score, remains a mystery in this newly created field of science that could lead to serious health breakthroughs.
By Rocky Wilson author of Sharene -- Death: A Prerequisite For Life
