Antioxidants

Very healthy ORAC numbers are offered by the highly nutritional Amazon Acai berry. ORAC is an abbreviation for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. In terms of functionality, ORAC can measure the capacity of a substance to subdue oxygen free radicals in a test tube. Thus, ORAC is a lab test which can calculate the antioxidant activity of any substance and assign it a number. The higher the ORAC number, the more powerful the antioxidant capabilities of the measured substance. Having been perfected by the US Department of Agriculture along with Brunswick Labs, the ORAC practice of calculation was first performed by the National Institute on Aging. To date, numerous foods have been evaluated to ascertain their ORAC levels. Simply put, you should concentrate on healthful substances having the highest ORAC numbers when searching for foods with the best antioxidant properties. Although the USDA warns that we should all consistently consume between 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC units each day, the majority of the population reports intake of less than 1,000 ORAC units daily. If you follow the nutritional requirements of five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day, you will achieve an ORAC intake score of approximately 1,750 units. In reality, the highest ORAC levels are usually held by fruits and vegetables. For each 100 grams, apples rate a 218, bananas score 221, and blueberries gain high honors with a count of 2,400. Blueberries rate 2,400, bananas score 221, and apples have a level of 218, per each 100 grams. Yet, the amazingly nutritional acai berry scores 5,500 per moderate serving. Actually, freeze dried Acai berries have a greatly increased ORAC score of more than 50,000 per 100 grams.

Anthocyanins, or flavonoid pigments synthesized by plants and fruits, provide vegetation with beautiful, vibrant coloring. Interestingly, they also act as “sunscreens” for plants, vegetables and fruits. While they spread seeds around, enhancing new plant development, the animals are drawn to boldly hued fruits to enjoy their delightful tastes. Yet, the major value of anthocyanins in acai berries is their powerful antioxidant abilities. Fruits which grow in strong sunlight, such as acai berries, are exposed to strenuous doses of UV light which encourage free radical production within the fruit. Acai berries then develop large numbers of anthocyanins since they already have powerful antioxidant properties and can successfully combat free radicals. Of note is the fact that the antioxidant properties of these anthocyanins survive even after being ingested by an animal or human being. So, the huge concentration of anthocyanins common in Acai berry juice is absorbed by the consumer of the fruit to great nutritional and healthful benefits. Recall that not only delightful to taste and immensely high in ORAC levels and healthy qualities, fruits with bold coloring are also pleasing to the sight.

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