What is ORAC?
ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. ORAC measures the ability of just about any substance to subdue oxygen free radicals in the test tube.
In short, ORAC is a lab assay that can measure the antioxidant activity of any substance and give it a number. The higher the ORAC number – the stronger the antioxidant properties of the substance.
National Institute on Aging developed the ORAC method and the US Department of Agriculture and Brunswick Labs have been instrumental in perfecting the ORAC assay procedure and testing various foods to determine ORAC levels.
While the exact science behind ORAC gets beyond the scope of this article, it is clear that if you want foods with greater antioxidant properties, you look for foods with high ORAC levels.
The USDA recommends we consume 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC units daily. In truth, 80% of the population is consuming less than 1,000 ORAC units a day.
The USDA recommended “5-a-day” fruit and vegetable servings will give you an ORAC score of about 1,750 units.
Fruits and vegetables tend to have the highest ORAC values. Per 100 grams – Apples score 218, Bananas 221 and Blueberries 2,400.
TRU Chocolate has ORAC RATING of 3,040 per piece!
