Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity

According to recent research in order to benefit from natural antioxidants we need 3,000 ORAC units every day. So what does that mean for us?

ORAC is an acronym for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, i.e. the effectiveness of its antioxidants. This term was defined by the National Institute on Aging in Baltimore in order to compare the importance of different foods with regard to cancer prevention, removing free radicals and cardio-vascular health. Their first report on the subject recommended the use of several kind of berries for high their ORAC values.

Since then many foods were reviewed again and again by institutions like the above mentioned NIAB or the USDA. Below we list the richest foods with their ORAC values.

ORAC Unit per three ounces
High ORAC
Acai - 18,500
Prunes - 5,770
Pomegranates - 3,307
Raisins/Dark Grapes - 2,830
Blueberries - 2,400
Blackberries - 2,036
Cranberries - 1,750
Strawberries - 1,540

Moderate ORAC
Noni - 1,506
Raspberries - 1,220
Plums - 949
Oranges - 750
Red Grapes - 739
Cherries - 670
Kiwi Fruit - 610
Grapefruit, pink - 483

Lower ORAC
Grapes, White - 460
Banana - 210
Apple - 207
Apricot - 175
Peach - 170
Pear - 110
Watermelon – 100
Honeydew Melon - 97