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))