What is ORAC?
A method to express the antioxidant value of food is the ORAC value. ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. This is the potential power and ability to neutralize free radical activity and damage. Antioxidants help the body deal with free radicals before they can do damage to the organs. It is therefore important to ensure a daily supply in your diet.
What is an antioxidant and what does it do?
To understand what the ORAC value exactly means, it is important to know what an antioxidant is. An antioxidant is a molecule capable of inhibiting or preventing the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transforms electrons from a substance to an oxidizing substance. These oxidation reactions release free radicals. E.g. An apple with a bite out will turn brown quickly. This means that the oxidation process has started because oxygen has now been added. If we drip a little lemon juice over the apple, it will take much longer for the apple to turn brown. The lemon is the antioxidant. (Against “rusting”)
What is a free radical and what does it do?
Free radicals are the so-called by-products of normal metabolism. When converting proteins, during cell division, when producing energy, in short, during all processes necessary to keep the body going, oxygen is consumed and free radicals are released to a greater or lesser extent. You can see these free radicals as relatively unavoidable. A free radical is an atom or molecule with an unused binding capacity. You can see those unused binding options as a kind of hooks that like to grab onto something. They damage other molecules by pulling electrons from them with their hooks. Free radicals are therefore also called biochemical terrorists. Dirty Harry's.
Bad environment and unhealthy lifestyle
Another cause of the formation of free radicals is our environment: radiation, air pollution, medicines, pesticides left on food, strenuous exercise, alcohol consumption, stress, heavy metals and so on. When processing and dealing with all these influences, the body (as a by-product) also produces free radicals. You can see these free radicals as relatively avoidable; after all, you don't have to consume large amounts of alcohol and you can also eat organic potatoes.
The anti-oxidative system
Fortunately, the body has a very effective system to catch the free radicals and render them harmless: the anti-oxidative system. This system performs its work with the help of antioxidants. Part of these antioxidants can be made by the body itself, but part must definitely come from the diet. It is here where the ORAC value table can be a guideline in your food choices. After all, you want to get rid of those free radicals as quickly as possible?
How much ORAC value do you need.
You should “get” about 3500 ORAC value per day. The more you ingest, the less the body will oxidize. (rusting)
And synthetic vitamins, what is the ORAC value of that?
A synthetic vitamin is counterfeit, so it cannot oxidize like a natural vitamin can. So the ORAC value is 0.
Bright colors, lots of antioxidants
A ′′ good ′′ orthomolecular therapist always says: ′′ make sure you get all the colors ′′ Why? Food with bright colors (pigments) in particular contains a lot of antioxidants. Above 150,000 there are cloves, cinnamon, turmeric and oregano. Furthermore, nuts, herbs, berries and cocoa in particular have very high values. Take advantage of this: use as many fresh herbs as possible in your meals.
The list below is therefore another way to look at this via the radical oxygen uptake capacity.
|
Product |
ORAC value per 100 grams |
|
Agave (dried) |
7.274 |
|
Pineapple |
385 |
|
Apples (dried) |
6.681 |
|
Apples – Fuji |
2.589 |
|
Apples – Gala |
2.828 |
|
Appels – Golden Delicious |
2.670 |
|
Appels – Granny Smith |
3.898 |
|
Appels – Red Delicious |
2.936 |
|
Apricots |
1.115 |
|
Artichoke (cooked) |
9.416 |
|
Asparagus |
2.150 |
|
Eggplant, raw |
933 |
|
Eggplant, cooked |
245 |
|
Avocado |
1.933 |
|
Vacant |
879 |
|
Basil (fresh) |
4.805 |
|
Basil (dried) |
67.556 |
|
Beans, black, raw |
8.040 |
|
Beans, kidney, raw |
8.459 |
|
Beans, lima, raw |
243 |
|
Beets, Red, raw |
1.767 |
|
Berries, black |
5.347 |
|
Berries, blue |
6.552 |
|
Celery, raw |
497 |
|
Cauliflower, raw |
829 |
|
Cauliflower, cooked |
620 |
|
Bread, rye bread |
1.963 |
|
Bread, 7 grains |
1.421 |
|
Broccoli, raw |
1362 |
|
Broccoli, cooked |
2.386 |
|
Cocoa powder, unsweetened |
80.933 |
|
Cashew nuts |
1.948 |
|
Chili powder |
23.636 |
|
Chocolate, pure |
20.823 |
|
Lemon juice |
1.225 |
|
Cranberries, raw |
9.584 |
|
Dates, Medjool |
3.895 |
|
Raspberries |
4.882 |
|
Turmeric |
159.277 |
|
Ginger, raw |
14.840 |
|
Grapefruit |
1.548 |
|
Cherries |
3.365 |
|
Kiwi |
882 |
|
Kiwi, gold |
1.210 |
|
Cinnamon |
267.536 |
|
Garlic, raw |
5.346 |
|
Garlic powder |
6.665 |
|
Cucumber |
214 |
|
Coriander, raw |
5141 |
|
Clove |
314.446 |
|
Gooseberries |
3.277 |
|
Lentils, raw |
7.282 |
|
Mandarins |
1.620 |
|
Mango |
1.002 |
|
Nuts, para |
1.419 |
|
Noten, macademia |
1.695 |
|
Nuts, almonds |
4.454 |
|
Nuts, pistachio |
7.983 |
|
Nuts, hazelnuts |
9.645 |
|
Nuts, walnuts |
13.541 |
|
Notes, pecan |
17.940 |
|
Olive oil |
1.150 |
|
Oregano, vers |
13.970 |
|
Oregano powder |
200.129 |
|
Paprika powder |
17.919 |
|
Peer |
1.814 |
|
Peppermint, fresh |
13.978 |
|
Peppers, green |
615 |
|
Peppers, orange |
984 |
|
Peppers, red |
847 |
|
Pepper, black, powder |
27.618 |
|
Peanuts, raw |
3.166 |
|
Plums, dried |
6.552 |
|
Red wine |
3.873 |
|
Raisins |
3.037 |
|
Sinasappels, navels |
1.819 |
|
Lettuce, iceberg |
438 |
|
Lettuce, red |
2.380 |
|
Lettuce, green |
1.447 |
|
Sorghum, bran (negate) |
100.800 |
|
Thyme, fresh |
27.426 |
|
Tomato, fresh |
546 |
|
Onions, raw |
1.034 |
|
Onions, red, raw |
1.521 |
|
Figs |
3.383 |
|
Elderberries |
14.697 |
|
Wine, red |
3.873 |
|
Wine, white |
392 |
|
Carrots baby, raw |
436 |
|
Carrots, cooked |
317 |
|
Carrots, raw |
666 |
(Sources: www.ayu.nl , USDA government (Unfortunately the page has been removed))
