What Is An ORAC Antioxidant Rating?

When you are considering a supplement to help deal with free radicals, you should always keep in mind the ORAC rating.  This acronym stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity.  You should understand that basically every function or our bodies causes an oxidation reaction (somewhat similar to rusting), which releases free radicals.  Although it could be argued that free radicals are simply a normal part of our metabolism, it is also true that they can cause a great deal of damage to our cells, tissues, and ultimately our entire bodies. 

Free radicals are atoms that have too few electrons in their outer ring.  The atoms that make us up consist of protons and neutrons in the center of the atom with electrons circling them.  Ideally, the number of protons and electrons should be the same.  However, as our bodies work, often an extra proton is added or an electron or two will go missing.  The unstable electron ring will want to get the electron it needs to stabilize and to do so, it will ‘steal’ an electron from another atom, which damages this atom.  A nasty chain reaction soon starts where the growing numbers of damaged atoms keep plowing ahead, damaging others.  This chain reaction has been linked to such diseases as cancer and autoimmune problems.

It is true that our bodies do make antioxidants to deal with free radicals, but the amount we make can simply be overwhelmed.  Too often, our lifestyles will contribute to the formation of excess free radicals – smoking, stress, and a diet based on junk food can cause more free radicals than normal.  The solution to this potential problem could be to use a supplement that may be able to disarm the free radicals before they do much harm.

There are a number of plant products that contain antioxidants to one degree or another; choosing the right one, the one that will be most effective, could be difficult.  One way that might be useful is to take a look at the ORAC rating.  Both fruits and vegetables contain bioflavonoid antioxidants, but some will contain more than others.  The ORAC rating will give you information on how well a particular fruit or vegetable could work for you.  A general rule of thumb is that the most strongly colored vegetables or fruits are usually those that contain the highest amounts of free radical fighting antioxidants.

The antioxidants contained in acai berry show the very highest ORAC rating.  This high capacity for neutralizing free radicals could be helpful to you in maintaining your health and preventing disease.  When you are considering the use of an antioxidant supplement, understanding how the ORAC rating system works can help you to make a more informed and beneficial choice.