The ORAC value in food, what exactly is it In short, the higher the ORAC value of a product, the more antioxidants the product contains and the healthier it is .
In this article we zoom in on what ORAC values be precise and we look specifically at the ORAC value of different types of wild berries.
What are ORAC values?
ORAC stands for "Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity", and indicates how many antioxidants a particular food has. The antioxidants, as it were, fight the free radicals by reducing or neutralizing them. Free radicals are molecules that can damage healthy cells in the body, so the more antioxidants a product has, the better it is for your health.
A product's ORAC value gives you an easy way to compare different foods and determine which foods offer more protection against cell damage. Products with a high ORAC value include: berries and berry juices, herbs and spices (including cloves, cinnamon, oregano and turmeric), unsweetened chocolate, beets, tomatoes and various types of nuts (such as pecans, walnuts and hazelnuts).
Why you should choose products with a high ORAC value
Consuming foods with a high ORAC value on a regular basis ensures that free radicals in the body are neutralized , before they can cause damage to your body cells or DNA. The antioxidants - on which the ORAC value is based - help against this cell damage and may therefore prevent diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease in the long term.
In addition, various studies show that foods with a high content of antioxidants contribute to an improvement of cognitive functions and a better mood. Enough reasons to ensure that you get enough antioxidants and choose products with a high ORAC value.
ORAC values in wild berries
When it comes to fighting free radicals, its wild berries an excellent source of antioxidants. They also have very high ORAC values . Dried Organic Wild Blueberries for example have an ORAC value of 65000 4000µmol TE/100g, while dried organic lingonberries have a comparable ORAC value with 59500 1500µmol TE/100g. Other berry species that appear in the ORAC List Top 100 include, crowberries, aronia berries, wild cranberries, acai berries, currants and elderberries.
ORAC value & Berryconcept products
Berryconcept specializes in the sale of natural berry products such as wild blueberries, lingonberries, sea buckthorn berries, berry powders and berry juices. Thanks to the high ORAC value of our products - and therefore a source of antioxidants - they offer the perfect protection against free radicals in the body.
All Berryconcept berry products come from Finnish forests where they grow naturally without added chemicals and/or additives. This is how they form a powerful source of antioxidants .
Meet wild berries from Finland:
Discover the health benefits of Finnish wild berries. View the full range here organic wild berry products from Berryconcept.