Top Five Food Sources of Antioxidants
USDA's ORAC System Ranks Antioxidant Values in Foods
Free radicals are oxygen molecules in the body with an extra electron. They're used normally to mark foreign material such as viruses or bacteria in the body for destruction. Too many free radicals can lead to destruction of normal structures like DNA in cells. Some theorists believe free radical damage contributes to many problems in the body such as:
- cancer
- Alzheimer's disease
- Parkinson's disease
- heart disease
- aging
Antioxidant Foods Remove Free Radicals
Antioxidants help to remove free radicals from the body, minimizing damage to the system. Vitamin C, vitamin E and selenium are considered to be antioxidants. Many foods are considered to be good sources of antioxidants and often contain other healthy phytochemicals as well.
Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) of Foods
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has developed a database of food antioxidant levels measured by the ORAC system. ORAC includes measurements of the antioxidant capacity of 59 different foods. Higher ORAC values indicate an increased ability of the food to absorb oxygen free radicals from the body. These levels can help people choose appropriate antioxidant food sources to add to their diet.
Spices are Antioxidant-Rich
Many spices contain very high levels of antioxidants. Some, like sumac, have levels in the hundreds of thousands. Others with increased antioxidants include:
- turmeric
- cinnamon
- cloves
- chili powder
- ginger
High Antioxidant Levels in Grains
Grains like sorghum and rice bran also have very high levels of antioxidants as well as fiber. Processing of the grain makes a difference with more highly-processed grains containing much lower levels of antioxidants. The bran portion of most grains contains the most antioxidants with some ORAC levels well into the hundreds of thousands.
Herbs with High Antioxidant Capacities
Many herbs also have high levels of antioxidants. These include:
- parsley
- oregano
- peppermint
- thyme
ORAC values are measured per 100 g portions. It takes a large volume of herbs to reach this level of antioxidants.
Dark Chocolate is a Good Source of Antioxidants
Dark chocolate, baking chocolate and cocoa all have very high ORAC values, ranging from 15,000 to 40,000. Milk chocolate contains much lower levels due to the amount of processing. Many gourmet chocolates contain high levels of dark chocolate, as much as 80% or more in some specialty chocolate bars.
Some Nuts are High in Antioxidants
Some nuts like pecans and walnuts are rich in antioxidants based on the ORAC system, while other nuts such as peanuts contain much lower levels. Nuts are high in fat which must be balanced along with other fats in the diet.
Dietary Antioxidants
People interested in adding antioxidants to their diet can check out the ORAC database for more food sources of antioxidants.
Sorghum Grain High in Antioxidants
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Dark Chocolate is a Good Source of Antioxidants
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Pecans are High in Antioxidants
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