Each day people are exposed to many different toxins (sunlight, gas fumes, airborne chemicals) and many individuals are taking medications and over-the-counter drugs which increase the production of free radicals. Free radicals occur during metabolic processes taking place in the body that require oxygen. During these special processes the oxygen molecules lose one or more of their electrons causing an imbalance in the oxygen atom. They become incomplete and are referred to as free radicals.

Free radicals constantly search for their missing part in order to become whole again. They become very aggressive and begin to take chunks out of what ever tissue they come into contact with, disrupting normal cell function and making tissue unhealthy. This eventually compromises our immune systems and can lead to cancer, accelerated aging and a many other ailments. Certain foods contain a high ORAC value (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) which are able to eliminates dangerous free radicals from the body.


ORAC is a measurement developed by scientists under the direction of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. The USDA recommends an intake of about 5,000 ORAC units a day to reach optimum health. Unfortunately, the average person only receives about 20%-25% of this recommended allowance in his or her daily food consumption.

Studies have found that consuming fruits and vegetables with a high ORAC value may help slow the aging process in both body and brain. They also have provided evidence of antioxidant activity, protecting cells and their components from oxidative damage. Getting plenty of the foods with a high ORAC activity, such as spinach, blueberries and strawberries, has raised the antioxidant power of human blood, prevented some loss of long-term memory and learning ability in animals, maintained the ability of brain cells to respond to a chemical stimulus, and protected blood vessels and capillaries against oxygen damage.

Science for a long time has stated that damage by oxygen free radicals is the cause of many of the ailments that come with aging, including cardiovascular disease and cancer. There is powerful evidence that a large consumption of fruits and vegetables reduces the risk of cancer and that a low consumption raises the risk.

Recent evidence reveals that diminished brain function associated with aging and disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases may be due to increased vulnerability to free radicals.

Experiments have been performed using extracts from strawberries and spinach. A daily dose of spinach extract prevented some loss of long-term memory and learning ability normally experienced by middle-aged rats. Spinach was found to be the most potent in protecting different types of nerve cells in various parts of the brain against the effects of aging.

The abundance of nutrients in food today is not what it used to be. It is estimated that in order to get the daily ORAC level to the needed level, ten servings of fruits and vegetables would have to be consumed daily. The alternative is a nutritional supplement that has a minimum ORAC value of 5000 units per day. This should be taken in addition to a healthy diet, not in place of one.

With all the different causes of free radical damage today, it is more important than ever to protect the body against oxidative stress. Free radical damage can lead to a number of ailments and life threatening diseases. If you are not someone who is able to consume the appropriate amount of key foods, it would be wise to begin using an effective vitamin antioxidant supplement formulation with a high orac value of at least 5000 units per day.