1. Blueberries
You might already be aware of blueberries' high antioxidant content, but surprisingly many people are not. Easy to find at most any grocery store or market, blueberries are one of the easiest and most effective ways to increase your antioxidant intake naturally without pills. The ORAC rating of one cup blueberries is very high at 9019.[1] If you can afford to, eating one cup a day is an excellent way to supplement your diet.
2. Blackberries
Blackberries are also quite common, though they can be slightly harder to find than blueberries. Typically you will find blackberries in a mix of other berries such as blueberries and raspberries. Their ORAC rating is slightly lower than that of blueberries at 7701 per one cup serving.[1]
3. Cherries
With an ORAC value listed at 4873[1] per cup, cherries are high on the list of antioxidant-rich berries. As the favorite berry of many, there is no mistaking their sweet taste, but knowing how beneficial they are for your health should provide even more incentive to grab a bunch next time you're at the grocery.
4. Wolfberries
Wolfberries, also known as goji berries are relatively unknown in North America, but the opposite is the case in China. The Chinese have been eating wolfberries for centuries. They have probably realized the health benefits of wolfberries longer than North Americans have known how good blueberries taste. While it's hard to track down an ORAC rating for wolfberries which hasn't been skewed by commercial interests, it's probably safe to assume the value is somewhere near or slightly greater than that of blueberries.
5. Acai berries
Made popular recently by Oprah and internet marketers everywhere, acai is another berry which is high in antioxidants. As with wolfberries, to ORAC value of acai berries has not been confirmed by an independent study, it would probably be safe to assume their antioxidant value lies somewhere equal to or above that of blueberries. They do taste good and the juice has a semi-sweet flavor which even tastes like it's good for you. Considering how long they have been cultivated an eaten in South America, they must have some merit besides flavor.
6. Noni berries
More commonly known as Indian mulberries in their native region, noni berries are similar to acai and wolberries in the way they have been marketed as health and diet supplements. Sponsored studies have determined the ORAC rating to be leagues ahead of blueberries, blackberries and cherries, but an independent study determined their antioxidant value to be even less than that of oranges.[2]
The ORAC rating of a fruit is not the only value you should consider when determining its nutritional value. There are many more factors to take into account such as anti-inflammatory xanthone and flavonoid content. A wise choice would be to alternate consumption of several different fruits to receive the unique benefits of each.
Reference:
1. Nutrient Data Laboratory, Agriculture Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) of Selected Foods - 2007.
2. Nutrient composition of the blended Noni Juice, a PDF file located on-line at http://ec.europa.eu/food/fs/sc/scf/out151_en.pdf
You might already be aware of blueberries' high antioxidant content, but surprisingly many people are not. Easy to find at most any grocery store or market, blueberries are one of the easiest and most effective ways to increase your antioxidant intake naturally without pills. The ORAC rating of one cup blueberries is very high at 9019.[1] If you can afford to, eating one cup a day is an excellent way to supplement your diet.
2. Blackberries
Blackberries are also quite common, though they can be slightly harder to find than blueberries. Typically you will find blackberries in a mix of other berries such as blueberries and raspberries. Their ORAC rating is slightly lower than that of blueberries at 7701 per one cup serving.[1]
3. Cherries
With an ORAC value listed at 4873[1] per cup, cherries are high on the list of antioxidant-rich berries. As the favorite berry of many, there is no mistaking their sweet taste, but knowing how beneficial they are for your health should provide even more incentive to grab a bunch next time you're at the grocery.
4. Wolfberries
Wolfberries, also known as goji berries are relatively unknown in North America, but the opposite is the case in China. The Chinese have been eating wolfberries for centuries. They have probably realized the health benefits of wolfberries longer than North Americans have known how good blueberries taste. While it's hard to track down an ORAC rating for wolfberries which hasn't been skewed by commercial interests, it's probably safe to assume the value is somewhere near or slightly greater than that of blueberries.
5. Acai berries
Made popular recently by Oprah and internet marketers everywhere, acai is another berry which is high in antioxidants. As with wolfberries, to ORAC value of acai berries has not been confirmed by an independent study, it would probably be safe to assume their antioxidant value lies somewhere equal to or above that of blueberries. They do taste good and the juice has a semi-sweet flavor which even tastes like it's good for you. Considering how long they have been cultivated an eaten in South America, they must have some merit besides flavor.
6. Noni berries
More commonly known as Indian mulberries in their native region, noni berries are similar to acai and wolberries in the way they have been marketed as health and diet supplements. Sponsored studies have determined the ORAC rating to be leagues ahead of blueberries, blackberries and cherries, but an independent study determined their antioxidant value to be even less than that of oranges.[2]
The ORAC rating of a fruit is not the only value you should consider when determining its nutritional value. There are many more factors to take into account such as anti-inflammatory xanthone and flavonoid content. A wise choice would be to alternate consumption of several different fruits to receive the unique benefits of each.
Reference:
1. Nutrient Data Laboratory, Agriculture Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) of Selected Foods - 2007.
2. Nutrient composition of the blended Noni Juice, a PDF file located on-line at http://ec.europa.eu/food/fs/sc/scf/out151_en.pdf
About the Author:
Mark Goodman is a nutrition expert who has been following the recent popularity explosion of acai berries. Contact Mark if you need any more information about acai berry scams.
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