What is ORAC Value?

ORAC Value means Oxygen Radical Absorbency Capacity Value

Many times we’ve encounter this word “ORAC VALUE” to any health and wellness products made from plants, vegetables or fruits. And mostly, we tends to mixed them and conclude that they are just the same.  I hope this article can bring some lights and helped us understand the difference, its meaning and purpose.

Let me clear this up first….

ORAC VALUE = ANTIOXIDANTS

Meaning, whatever the ORAC VALUE is also the value of the ANTIOXIDANTS.

So, what’s the big deal about ORAC VALUE, Free Radicals, Antioxidants?

By more than 2 decades now scientists have showed us the probable link between free radical damage and chronic diseases. The chronic diseases that I am referring to are;

• Cancer
• Alzheimer’s disease
• rheumatoid arthritis
• cardiovascular disease
• cataracts
• age-related macular degeneration
• actual aging process itself
• and, many more.

Antioxidants on the other hand, are the chemical compounds that have been shown to prevent, stop, or reduce oxidative damage. What is an antioxidant? An antioxidant is any substance that reduces oxidative damage (damage due to oxygen) such as that caused by free radicals. There are hundreds of different antioxidant compounds that include various vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes and phytochemical antioxidants. Since scientists don’t know every antioxidant in a plant, a test was developed that indicates the total antioxidant potential.

It means…

The bigger/higher the value of ORAC/ANTIOXIDANTS; the better/faster/more change in fighting the above mention chronic diseases.

In below table, the best vegetables that have the 25,500 ORAC Value per 100 grams is BARLEY.