There are a lot of news articles, advertisements and advice about improving immune system function by eating foods or taking health supplements high in antioxidants. It seems that food producers and supplement manufacturers are tripping over each other to promote their respective product or products as the latest and greatest antioxidant answer. After all, antioxidants are believed to be beneficial in a number of ways. While the FDA has not established specific health benefits based on the ORAC value of foods, many scientists and nutritionists believe, based on numerous studies, that higher ORAC valued foods slow the oxidative processes and reduce free radical damage that contributes to age-related diseases and degeneration such as inflammatory ailments, cardiovascular diseases and cancer to name a few.
Optimal antioxidant intake is great advice but how does mom know which foods and how much of them to buy while she's shopping for the family's groceries? What should be added to recipes to increase the ORAC value of a meal? Many people wonder how much they should ingest and what is used to measure the antioxidant values of foods and supplements. Is there an "antioxidant measurement?" The short answer is, yes there is but, unfortunately, it is not commonly shown or people may not be aware of it.
Briefly, some background about the measurement. Scientists at the National Institute on Aging in the National Institute of Health (Bethesda, MD) developed a method to measure the antioxidant capacity of foods that is used by reputable laboratories that measure ORAC values of food. ORAC is the acronym for Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity. The units denoted for ORAC values are expressed as micromoles TE (Trolox Equivalents) per gram. Often the values are simply displayed as "ORAC units" since the scientific term micromoles TE per gram really does not mean much to most of us. There are varying opinions on the correct amount of ORAC units required per day and the FDA has not issued a recommended daily allowance as of yet.
Regardless of the eventual recommendation of ORAC units per day, don't get bogged down on a specific number especially since there is not consensus as to the "proper" amount to consume. The important thing to focus on is including more high ORAC value foods in your daily diet. This should be balanced with other good nutrition habits so, in other words, don't replace all vegetables with cloves just because of the ORAC value difference. This, obviously, would not be a good decision for many reasons. However, one might consider using more cloves and cinnamon in recipes and then looking at healthy chocolate desserts.
Here is a partial list of foods and their corresponding ORAC values as shown on ORACVALUES.com's website:
Item...................................ORAC Value
Spices, cloves, ground....................314,446
Sumac, bran, raw..........................312,400
Spices, cinnamon, ground..................267,536
Sorghum, bran, hi-tannin..................240,000
Spices, oregano, dried....................200,129
Spices, turmeric, ground..................159,277
Acai berry, freeze-dried..................102,700
Sorghum, bran, black......................100,800
Sumac, grain, raw..........................86,800
Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened.............80,933
Spices, cumin seed.........................76,800
Maqui berry, concentrated powder...........75,000
Spices, parsley, dried.....................74,349
Sorghum, bran, red.........................71,000
Spices, basil, dried.......................67,553
Pears, dried to 40% moisture (purchased in Italy)...................9,496
Savory, fresh...............................9,465
Artichokes, Ocean Mist, boiled..............9,416
Artichokes, Ocean Mist, Microwaved..........9,402
Beans, kidney, red, mature seeds, raw.......8,459
Beans, pink, mature seeds, raw..............8,320
Beans, black, mature seeds, raw.............8,040
Nuts, pistachio nuts, raw...................7,983
Currants, european black, raw...............7,960
Beans, pinto, mature seeds, raw.............7,779
Interesting to note that cocoa (from which chocolate is derived) is the highest listed super food. Spices and berries dominate the top ORAC valued foods.
This certainly leaves some room for creativity with recipes and probably some re-thinking of dietary habits. When thinking of daily intake, consider both foods consumed and dietary supplements. While the final analysis may still be pending with regards to just the "right" amount of intake, the studies overwhelmingly suggest that increasing your intake of high ORAC foods may have very positive benefits and, hopefully, this article has given its readers some additional information and good ideas.
Note: The statements contained in this article have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These statements and/or any referenced products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always consult your physician or licensed medical provider before beginning any medical treatment or dietary supplement program.
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