Fruits and vegetables are loaded with antioxidants like phytonutrients and polyphenols, which are measured by the ORAC scale. Learning about the ORAC value of fruits and vegetables can help us to understand the antioxidant potential of these foods.

In this article, we break down the ORAC system and explore what it means for the nutritional value of fruits and vegetables as well as the potential health benefits. 

We don’t condone obsessing over ORAC values – all fruits and veggies are great, and the best ones for you are the ones you actually consume – but the scale can be a helpful tool for understanding the benefits of different produce.

What is the ORAC Score?

Let’s start with the basics: what is ORAC value? 

ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. 

It also goes by ORAC value, ORAC score, or ORAC unit. Developed by the National Institute of Health and Aging (NIH), the ORAC value measures the antioxidant capacity of different foods. 

Scientists are yet to fully conclude how ORAC scores of foods relate to their overall health benefits. But, foods higher in ORAC scores are thought to be richer in antioxidants, helping to protect against harmful molecules called free radicals that contribute to aging and disease. 

Antioxidants are vital compounds that protect our cells from damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals occur in the body naturally, but some lifestyle factors can speed up the process and increase oxidative stress, like: 

• Exposure to toxic chemicals and air pollution 

• Poor diet 

• Smoking 

• Drinking alcohol 

When these free radicals overwhelm the body, it can lead to oxidative stress. This can cause damage to cells, including DNA, and contribute to disease and age-related conditions like dementia.

The free-radical theory of aging and disease suggests that a high intake of antioxidants, primarily from our diet, can help slow down the oxidative process and radical damage. 

Our bodies naturally produce antioxidants, but many scientists and health experts believe these are not enough to counter the effects of harmful free radicals. So, we need to consume antioxidants through our diet. Some of the best sources of antioxidants are fruit and vegetables. 

While the ORAC value can help us choose foods high in antioxidants, keep in mind that ORAC scores only measure the potential antioxidant activity in a particular food. They don’t account for the number of antioxidants our bodies will absorb. Factors like how the food was grown, cooked, and stored also affect the final antioxidant content.

How many units do you need?

Our cells function like little engines, burning fuel we put in from our food to support various functions. Just like car engines create toxic exhausts when burning fuels, our cells also produce free radicals when generating energy. The problem occurs when the body builds up too many free radicals. Free radicals contribute to the development of degenerative and chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease, aging, arthritis, autoimmune disorders, and neurocognitive decline.

Antioxidants neutralize these harmful free radicals and restore balance in our bodies. Since free radical production increases the more we eat, a diet full of antioxidants is important to combat free radicals. 

So, how many antioxidants per day should we eat?

There isn’t an “official” daily recommended ORAC unit intake. However, based on the evidence so far, we should aim for 3,000-5,000 ORAC units daily. Scientists suggest that any more is likely to leave the body through our kidneys. 

Research suggests that we could significantly increase the antioxidants in our bodies by 15 to 20% if we increase our fruit and vegetable intake, particularly those with higher ORAC values.  For antioxidants to significantly impact our tissues and plasma, 3,000-5,000 ORAC units are more than enough. Research into the relationship between dietary antioxidant intake and oxidative stress is ongoing. A better understanding could provide us with opportunities to alter our diet for better long-term health outcomes. 

Because the body tightly regulates the blood’s antioxidant capacity, only a certain percentage of antioxidants in food is usable. For instance, consuming 35,000 ORAC units won’t be any more beneficial than if you have 5,000 ORAC units. The USDA recommends a daily intake of 5,000 ORAC units, while the FDA suggests “5 a day” servings of fruits and veggies, which comes out to about 3,500 ORAC units. 

High ORAC foods

So, now we know more about the ORAC system and have a general idea of how many ORAC units we should be consuming. But what does that all mean in real life when choosing fruit and vegetables at the grocery store? 

ORAC scores are generally higher in spices and berries and lower for highly processed grains. Likewise, ORAC values are lower in animal-based foods like fish, chicken, and beef.

It’s important to remember that the ORAC score is just one part of the nutritional puzzle. While it’s great to up your antioxidant intake, fruit and veggies on the lower side still contain plenty of goodness our bodies love. 

That said, here is a list of the ORAC values of common foods per 100g serving. Keep in mind for plenty of these foods, 100g can be an unreasonable amount to eat at once! 

ORAC values above 10,000:

• English walnuts - 13,541

• Fresh oregano - 13,970

• Fresh peppermint - 13,978

ORAC values above 7,000-10,000:

• Raw lentils – 7,282

• Raw pinto beans - 7,779

• Raw pistachio nuts - 7,983

• Raw black beans – 8,040

• Raw kidney beans – 8,459

• Raw cranberries – 9,584

• Hazelnuts – 9,645

ORAC values of 3,000 – 5,000:

• Raw apples with skin on – 3,082

• Raw broccoli – 3,083

• Red cabbage cooked, boiled, or drained without any salt – 3,145

• All types of raw peanuts - 3,166

• Raw gooseberries – 3,277

• Sweet, raw cherries – 3,365

• Raw figs – 3,383

• Raw green apples with skin – 3,898

• White raisins dried to 40% moisture – 4,188

• Dried peaches to 40% moisture – 4,222

• Raw red delicious apples with skin on – 4,275

• Almonds – 4,454

• Fresh basil – 4,805

• Raw raspberries – 4,882

As mentioned earlier, ORAC levels are higher in spices. It makes sense that spices tend to steal the top spots in the ten highest ORAC foods per 100g: 

1. Ground clove spices – 314,446

2. Ground cinnamon – 267,536

3. Ground oregano – 200,129

4. Ground turmeric – 159,277

5. Raw sumac bran – 312,400

6. High-tannin sorghum bran – 240,000

7. Freeze-dried acai berry – 102,700

8. Black sorghum bran – 100,800

9. Raw sumac grain – 86,800

10. Unsweetened dry cocoa powder – 80,933

What are the potential benefits of high ORAC foods?

So, that brings us to the big question, why all the focus on ORAC foods? Upping your antioxidant intake for the sake of it isn’t exactly the most compelling selling point now, is it? Well how about this? 

It’s thought that upping our antioxidant intake will help protect us from age-related degeneration by reducing free radical damage and, ultimately, slowing down the effects of aging. Antioxidants may hinder the formation of free radicals, decreasing the risk of developing age-related health problems like Alzheimer’s, muscular degeneration, cataracts, Parkinson’s disease, and cancer. 

But wait… there’s more!

• High ORAC fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants like vitamins E and C and nutrients like copper, zinc, and iron, which help boost the immune function to help fight off infections caused by viruses, bacteria, and parasites. 

• The nutrients in high ORAC foods may also help delay or even prevent the development of heart disease by reducing the levels of bad cholesterol in the body and inflammation. 

• Cognitive decline is a common effect of aging. Oxidative stress plays a crucial role in the progression of many neurodegenerative diseases. A diet high in ORAC foods may lower the risk of these types of diseases, which may improve cognitive function and memory. Research shows that foods rich in antioxidants may help reduce the long-term risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia. 

• Incorporating ORAC-rich veggies and fruits in your diet may help remove harmful toxins that may gradually affect our health and lead to diseases like cancer. 

• While aging is part of life, most want to slow down that biological clock the best way we can. Free radicals help speed up the aging process. Eating foods rich in antioxidants may help combat the damage caused by free radicals resulting in younger, healthier-looking skin. Vitamin C, an antioxidant found in fruits and vegetables, may help to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and dry skin. 

Antioxidants often don’t get much love, because their benefits can be tricky to understand. But they are so important for ensuring our bodies function properly now and in the future. They protect against cell damage caused by harmful free radicals. And while our bodies make some antioxidants, experts believe the levels are not enough to neutralize the effects of free radicals in the body. Eating a varied diet full of colorful fruits and vegetables is a key component of a healthy lifestyle. 

Looking to up your ORAC food intake? Try our nutritious kencko bowl and quick smoothie; these are full of antioxidants, all sourced from fresh fruits and vegetables.