ORAC Values Explained

Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) is a method of measuring a food’s ability to help destroy free radicals before they cause damage to the body. These free radical scavengers are referred to as antioxidants .

Studies have shown a relationship between a diet high in fruits and vegetables, which are excellent sources of antioxidants, and aging.

David Stewart, PhD, in Healing Oils of the Bible, offers a representative selection of some antioxidant scores:

It’s important to remember that there are different units used in measuring ORAC values by different organizations, so you might find varying numbers on another chart. However, this is table good for showing the relative values.

The higher the score, the better that food can destroy free radicals, therefore slowing the aging process and helping to prevent cancers and other diseases.

Dr. Stewart also presents a chart showing the antioxidant scores for a few essential oils that can be used in helping to keep the body healthy and in balance:

As you can see, clove is the highest scoring essential oil, and Chinese wolfberries are the highest scoring food.

Developed by NIH Scientists

This method of measuring antioxidants was developed by scientists at the National Institute on Aging in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Baltimore, Maryland.

To see a chart with over 200 foods, you can visit the USDA website by clicking here (a new browser window will open).

Whichever chart you look at, it's clear that including abundant fruits and vegetables in your diet can help you stay healthy and slow down the aging process.