Antioxidant Fruits » ORAC Value

More Antioxidants Found in Organic Fruit

cheskarr — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 13:00:36 +0000

When you prioritize your health, it’s only natural to look for nutritious options when it comes to the food you eat. Products with antioxidants like organic fruit is one of those options.

A survey on pesticide residue and found out that even after 10 seconds of washing under running water, fruit like apples and grapes still have 97%-98% pesticide residue.

Antioxidant fruits like grapes and cherries are good sources of bioflavonoid nutrients. Organic fruit retains more of its nutritional content by 40%. Present in them are antioxidants like quercetin, anthocyanins, and proanthocyanidins.

Organic fruit are grown using natural fertilizers. Instead of spraying insecticides over the crops, farmers apply insect and bird traps that decrease their population and keep pests away from the fruit.

Organic farming manages weeds by rotating crops, mulching, tilling the soil or manually pulling out the weeds.

It has not been proven that eating organic fruit can make you healthier than eating non-organic fruit.This is probably also due to the fact that you would still need to exercise and opt for a healthier lifestyle to be fit and healthy.

Do you prefer organic over non-organic? Leave us a comment below or join our discussion on Facebook.

Raspberry

admin — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 22:36:38 +0000

The raspberry is pretty well-known across the world. They are grown for local grocery stores and fresh food markets as well as for processing for frozen fruit, dried, pureed fruit and juice.

Because raspberries need an ample amount of sun and water to develop, they are usually a mid-summer crop, depending on where you are located in the world.

In addition to their great taste and fun texture, raspberries as with all antioxidant fruits, have numerous health benefits.

Polyphenol antioxidants
Anthocyanin pigments
Dietary fiber
Vitamic C
Manganese
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
Folic Acid
Magnesium
Potassium
Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Copper
Iron

Because of their deeper color, raspberries are near the top when compared to other fruits based on their antioxidants when it comes to their dense amounts of ellagic acid, quercetin, gallic acid, anthocyanins, cyanidins, pelargonidins, catechins, kaempferol and salicyclic.

Raspberries have an ORAC Value of about 4900 per 100 grams, which falls under blueberries (they’re 9000 ORAC units) and above apples at 2800.

The health benefits that some have experienced with raspberries are listed below. Please be aware that this isn’t proof that they work, but that they are known to help.

Reduces Inflamation
Helps to Eliminate Age-Related Cognitvie Decline
Prevents Cardiovascular Disease
Reduces Allergies
Helps to Prevent Degeneration of Eye Sight with Aging
Reduces Pain
Prevents Cancer

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raspberry

Antioxidant Fruits: Benefits, Uses and Availability

admin — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 23:57:50 +0000

Antioxidant Fruits:
Benefits, Uses & Availability

Antioxidant fruits seem to be all the rage these days.

As children, we were told to eat our fruit and vegetables. In fact, the USDA recommends 3-5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day. However, most of us don’t get that in a day or even in a week! It is very important you for you consume your serving portion of antioxidant fruits every day.

Antioxidant-Fruits.com is for those who are looking to learn more about well-known as well as exotic and unusual fruits with antioxidants and for those of you that are looking for one or more of the following:

Protects Cells
Strengthens Memory
Fights Cellular Mutation
Inhibits Platelet Aggregation and Clotting
Helps Digestion
Combats Effects of Diabetes
Strengthens Vision
Increases Mental Clarity
Help Prostate
Strengthens the Heart
Provides Essential Fatty Acids
Stabilizes Proper Cholesterol
Scavengers for Free Radicals
Strengthens Cell Membrane
Builds Proteins
Restores Antioxidant Number
Strengthens Nervous System
Provides Essential Oils
Fights Viruses
Fights Bacteria
Impedes NRS Free Radicals
Relives Inflammation
Helps Reduce Risk of Cancer
Enhances Cellular Communication
Strengthens Immune System

Antioxidant Fruits include:

Beta-carotene
Lutein
Lycopene
Selenium
Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Vitamin E

People who eat fruit rich in polyphenols and anthocyanins have a lower risk of cancer, heart disease and some neurological diseases. Antioxidants inhibit oxidative damage. “Scientists now believe that free radicals are casual factors in nearly every known disease, from heart disease to arthritis to cancer to cataracts. In fact, free radicals are a major culprit in the aging process itself,” stated Lester Packer, Ph.D., in his article, “The Antioxidants Miracle”.

While the açaí berry is the gemstone of antioxidant fruits, this website also features other super fruits selected for their distinctive and beneficial properties. Recognizable fruits such as apricots, bananas, blueberries, cranberries, kiwi, pears, pomegranates, prunes, purple grapes, and white grapes, contain a unique blend of nutrients, minerals, and antioxidants.

There are, of course, more exotic and less known fruits that accentuate the power of the açaí berry: acerola cherries, aronia berries, bilberries, camu camus, lychees, nashi pears, passion fruit, and wolfberries (Goji).

The Acerola Cherry from Brazil is used for its high content of vitamin C. There are other great forms of cherry, like Tart Cherry Juice.

The Aronia Berry, a native American bush, has been reported to contain antioxidants, polyphenols, minerals and vitamins and very high levels (over five times greater than those found in cranberries) of anthocyanins and flavonoids.

The Bilberry’s strong antioxidant fruits composition makes it an excellent free radical scavenger, which helps counteract cell damage that leads to premature aging and disease. Bilberries have been used in the treatment of menstrual cramps, alleviating ulcers, varicose veins and angina. The flavonoids found in bilberries thin the blood and prevent fragility of the capillaries.

The Camu camu is an antioxidant fruits found throughout the Amazon has the highest recorded amount of natural vitamin C known on the planet. It is a significant source of potassium and has a full complement of minerals and amino acids that can aid in the absorption of vitamin C.

The Lychee, originating in South China, is a very good source of Vitamin C, riboflavin, potassium and copper.

The Nashi Pear, originating in East Asia, is a great source of dietary fiber, and also are very high in potassium and other essential minerals.

Native to Brazil, the Passion Fruit is an antioxidant fruits that is a good source of vitamins A and C, as well as potassium and iron.

Lastly, the Wolfberry, native of China, contains 19 types of amino acids and 21 trace minerals. It has more beta-carotene than carrots and nearly as much Vitamin C as oranges and protein as bee pollen.

These fruits are extremely rich in antioxidants among other essential elements. These strong antioxidants go to battle against free-radical molecules that invade the body, helping to combat premature aging and even help prevent many serious diseases.

This website looks at the benefits, uses and availability of these fruits. It not only examines individual fruits, where to get them, where to travel to find them, but also a number of recipes and various ideas on how to add them to your diet. Should you have another suggestion for this website, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

ORAC

admin — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 19:04:33 +0000

The ORAC Value of a food is the measurement of Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity. The higher the score, the more capable that particular food is of destroying free radicals, thus retarding the aging process and other diseases.

The Value is a laboratory measurement and its relevance to the diet is unclear.

There are a number of foods that contain this value, incluing: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, and many other foods. Brightly colored foods are good indicators of Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity. Nearly all the this value is found in the skin of these foods.

This Rating of a food is synonymous with the antioxidant value.

The Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity Value chart shows that all antioxidant capacity measures are estimated by Ferric Reducing Power and are expressed as micromole Trolox equivalent (TE) per 100 grams or 3.53 ounces, accurate to ±5%. Below are links to more information about these special antioxidant fruits and how they can help us live longer and reduce our aging process:

Acai
Prunes
Blueberries
Red Grapes
Cherry

BENEFITS OF

Fruit Rambutan

admin — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 06:02:21 +0000

Fruit Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum) is a round, oval shaped drupe fruit with a leathery skin. Sometimes the skin is orange or yellow, but usually it is reddish in color. It is covered with fleshly pliable spines that look like hairs. In fact, the name, Rambutan is derived from the Malay word, rambut, meaning, “hairs”.

The fruit flesh itself is translucent, whitish or sometimes very pale pink. It is sweet, watery and has a mildly acidic flavor and is shaped much like an egg. Inside the fleshy fruit is the Rambutan seed, which is glossy brown with a white basal scar. The seed is soft and crunchy and bitter. Do you have a rambutan recipe to share? The rambutan fruit is closely related to the following tropical fruits:

Lychee
Longan
Mamoncillo

The fruit has various names across the world, some are:

ngoh – Thailand
mamón chino – Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua

The Rambutan tree is medium-sized tropical tree in the Sapindaceae family. It is native to Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia.

In Southeast Asia and Indonesia the fruit is very common and considered almost like an apple is to people in colder climates. The fruit is now cultivated in the following countries, making it more common and popular:

Australia
Africa
Cambodia
Carribean Islands
Central America
Indonesia
Malaysia
Philippines
Sri Lanka
Thailand
United States – Hawaii

USES:

Fruit rambutan is usually sold fresh but is also used in jams and jellies and is sold canned.

The rambutan seed is high in certain fats and oils and therefore is valuable in the manufacture of soap.

The roots, bark and leaves of the rambutan tree are used in the production of dye and various medicines.

Eating a Rambutan

To open a rambutan, either cut it part way into the rind or, if freshly ripe, bite into it since the spines are quite soft and pose no threat. You can always just try twisting the rind in your fingers (only when it is ripe) and the fruit will pop out.

Once the rind is cut part way around the equator of the fruit it can be pried open with your fingers or fingernail. There may be some juice if the rambutan is really fresh that you should try to catch before it drips out. It is as sweet as the fruit.

Remove the meat of the fruit from the rind by squeezing it until it pops out. There is one seed in the center which you’ll want to discard because it is bitter.

BENEFITS:

Like their close fruit relative, the Lychee, rambutans are high in Vitamin C and these other minerals:

copper
manganese
trace elements of potassium, calcium, and iron

The Elder Berry

admin — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 03:42:21 +0000

Photo courtesy of Roger Butterfield

Elderberry Description:
The elder berry (Sambucus) is a shrub of the larger variety, reaching between 5-8 meters in height. Sometimes they are trees that are 15 meters in height, usually the trunk of which is 30-60 cm in diameter.

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Dipsacales
Family: Adoxaceae
Genus: Sambucus

There are 5 different types of the elder berry.

Common Elder
Blackberry Elder
Red-berried Elder
Australian Elder
Dwarf Elder

Photo to left courtesy of Cornell University- Horticulture Elders are found all over the world, like the Southern Elder found in South America, the American Elder in eastern North America, the Blueberry Elder in western North America, the Chinese Elder in southeastern Asia, the Mexican Elder in Mexico and Central America, the Black Elder in Europe and Western Europe, Madeira Elder on Madeira Island, the Canary Islands Elder on the Canary Islands, the Peruvian Elder in northwest South America, the Florida Elder in the southeastern United States, the Andean Elder in north South America, the North China Red Elder in northeast Asia, the Yellow Elder in New Guinea, eastern Australia, the Australian Elder in south eastern Australia, the Asian Dwarf Elder in the Himalayas and eastern Asia, and the European Dwarf Elder in central and southern Europe, northwest Africa and southwest Asia.

The flowers of the Black elder (Sambucus nigra) are used to make a liqueur. The French, Austrians, Croatians and the Swiss use the extract from the elderflower blossom as a substitute for blueberries in pancakes, for example.

Wine and cordials are made from elderberries. The umbels of the elderberry flower are batter coated, deep fried and served with cinnamon as a dessert or a sweet lunch in Italy and Germany.

Elderberry Benefits:

treating Influenza A and B
antioxidants (flavonoids) – stimulates the immune system
anthocyanins (anti-inflammatories) – relief of aches, pains and fever
antiviral
antibiotic
antibacterial
sooths upper respiratory problems
diuretic – natural intestinal cleanser
anti-inflammatory
promotes circulation, kidney function and good lymphatic system health

They are high in:

antioxidants (flavonoids)
anthocyanins (anti-inflammatories)
ORAC value

Source Link: USDA for Elderberry Flavonoid Research Page

Elderberries in Stewart Falls, Utah by Raspberrytart.

Buy Elderberry Beverage OnlineANTIOXIDANT FRUITS

Blackberry

admin — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 23:01:52 +0000

The blackberry is simply one of the healthiest fruits you can eat. They are full of natural goodness and have lots of essential nutrients and vitamins which are very good for your health. So, if you are someone that enjoys eating delicious blackberry Jam or pie, pat yourself on the back, as you’ve chosen a great antioxidant in fruit.

Unripe green version (right) by Alex Skelly

The berries are one of the richest sources of antioxidants you can find. They have very high ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) value and can supply your body with a whopping 2036 units of antioxidants per 100 grams.

Ripe berries are packed with powerful antioxidants like polyphenols and anthocyanins. Antioxidants, as you know, are very essential for your body. They fight and neutralize free radicals which can cause serious damage to your health. According to research institutes, regular intake of antioxidants can reduce the risk of several diseases including cancer.

Blackberries (Photo on Right by Ali S) are rich in salicylate, which is a natural analgesic (pain reliever). It can help reduce the risk of heart diseases significantly. They are also rich in vitamin E. Vitamin E is yet another powerful antioxidant which can fight the free radicals in the body. More importantly,
vitamin E can prevent all types of skin related problems caused by free radicals. Wrinkles, dark spots, and other such skin problems are usually caused by the action of free radicals on the skin. By eating blackberries regularly, you can stay away from these problems. As well, blackberries contain lots of vitamin C and can help boost your immune system.

One cup of blackberries, which is around 150g, contains 75 calories, one gram of protein, half a gram of fat, 18 grams of carbohydrates, around 8 grams of fiber, and needless to say, plenty of antioxidants. In short – it is one of the healthiest
foods you can eat.

Amazingly, the entire plant of blackberry is full of valuable nutrients. Its stem, its leaves, and roots are full of tannic acid, which is also a natural analgesic. The leaves, roots, and the outer parts of the stem are usually dried and used to make tea which has a lot of medicinal values.

It is suggested that you eat blackberries raw, as cooking can break down some valuable nutrients present in them. Since they
are full of natural fructose sugars, the ripe berries are delicious to eat. So, add blackberries to your everyday meal and
enjoy their natural goodness.

If you have any suggestions on recipes where blackberries are used to add to this website, please contact us.

If you’d like to see a particular fruit featured on Antioxidant-Fruits.com, please contact us.

ANTIOXIDANT FRUITS

Bilberry

admin — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 22:29:32 +0000

Bilberry – also known as: European blueberry, Huckleberry, Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium corymbosum

A close relative to the blueberry (as you can tell in the photo), the fruit has impressive antioxidant properties and is historically linked to eye health. Studies indicate that the berry, with its abundance of antioxidants, may also be effetive in protecting the body against carcinogens and free radicals.

Some of its nutritional highlights include:

Flavonoids
Anthocyanins
Resveratol

Bilberries

The berry can help with:

Eye Problems
Arthritis
Heart Attack and Stroke
Cancer
Diabetes
Diarrhea and Dysentery

A study done in Canada in 2006, found that the berry can help and may be able to prevent and slow the progression of neurodegenerative diseases (like Parkinson’s), mainly due to its antioxidant powers.

[/caption]Do you know some fun facts about the Bilberry? If so, leave a comment and share them with us!