ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. It is a measure of the overall antioxidant potential for a food, supplement or nutrient. In general, a high score means a high level of antioxidants, which means more ability to eliminate oxygen free radicals.
However, it is possible to "spike" a food or supplement to give it a higher ORAC score. It's important to also look at what nutrients contributed to that ORAC score. The benefits of the food or supplement are dependent on which nutrients are providing the antioxidant potential. For example, if the food or product has a high ORAC score simply because there is a high level of vitamin C, then you only receive the benefits of vitamin C.
On the other hand, if the ORAC score is high because there are a range of antioxidant nutrients such as resveratrol, vitamin C, quercetin and other polyphenols, then the food or product is likely to pack a powerful punch in terms of health benefits. In addition to looking at ORAC scores for a specific food or product, be sure that you also find out what nutrients are in that food or product so you know what you're getting and can get the greatest health benefits for your money.
For more information on antioxidants, read:
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