Healthcare, Health Insurance, Vitamins, Nutrition

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

Along with blueberries, blackberries are probably one of grandma’s favorite pie ingredients. What grandma probably never realized was that blackberries are an excellent source of highly concentrated antioxidants. With an ORAC rating of 7701 per cup, blackberries are near the top of the list of antioxidant-rich berries.[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

Known commercially as goji berries in North America and other regions outside their native China, wolfberries are another berry which has been shown to have high levels of antioxidants. While their ORAC value has not yet been independently confirmed, one could assume their rating is near or even greater than the ORAC value of blueberries. Wolfberries have a unique semi-sweet flavor and the dried berries make a good, healthy snack.

5. Acai berries

Acai berries are an antioxidant-rich fruit which had been relatively unknown outside South America until recently. Consumed for centuries in their native Brazil in ways similar to how blueberries are consumed in North America. Acai berries have been shown to have higher ORAC ratings than blueberries in numerous, yet conflicting studies. Many non-independent studies have listed their ORAC rating as being much higher than that of blueberries and even wolfberries. Until an official, independent study determines an ORAC rating it should be assumed the free radical scavenging capacity of acai berries is at least equal and perhaps slightly greater than that of blueberries.

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]

A berry or fruit’s ORAC value is not the only factor to consider when deciding whether it would be beneficial to include it in your diet. Some have higher levels of xanthones, flavonoids and phytochemicals than others, so a smart decision would be to consume a variety to receive the unique benefits of each. There are also many other options besides those in this list.

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

1. Blueberries

Blueberries should be an obvious choice for an antioxidant-rich fruit. While they’ve been used as a pie filling for decades by grandmothers in North America, many may not realize their benefits go beyond good flavor. It’s easy to find them at most any grocery store or market in the US and the probably the cheapest of the options on this list. Just one cup a day can be of great benefit in safeguarding your health. The ORAC value of one cup of blueberries has been rated at 9019 for the cultivated variety and 13427 for the wild variety.[1]

2. Blackberries

Along with blueberries, blackberries are probably one of grandma’s favorite pie ingredients. What grandma probably never realized was that blackberries are an excellent source of highly concentrated antioxidants. With an ORAC rating of 7701 per cup, blackberries are near the top of the list of antioxidant-rich berries.[1]

3. Cherries

Everyone’s heard of cherries, those unmistakable sweet, shiny red berries. However not everyone realizes what a great source of antioxidants they are. Next time you dive into a cherry pie, you’ll be happy to know it’s helping to ward off free radicals. One cup of cherries has been determined to have an ORAC rating of 4873 which puts them a few steps below blueberries, but they’re so tasty you’ll probably end up eating twice as many anyway![1]

4. Wolfberries

Known commercially as goji berries in North America and other regions outside their native China, wolfberries are another berry which has been shown to have high levels of antioxidants. While their ORAC value has not yet been independently confirmed, one could assume their rating is near or even greater than the ORAC value of blueberries. Wolfberries have a unique semi-sweet flavor and the dried berries make a good, healthy snack.

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

Noni berries, also known as Indian mulberries or great morinda are most prominently cultivated in Tahiti. Probably the most unknown berry in our list, but quickly gaining commercial popularity throughout the world. While touted for their high ORAC value by various companies selling their juice, it has been determined the value may not actually be so high relative to more common fruits such as oranges.[2]

When thinking about how healthy a berry or fruit might be for you, it would be wise to also consider and research the concentrations of phytochemicals, flavonoids and xanthones. Probably the best decision would be to consume a variety of berries and fruits so you receive all the benefits. Some berries and fruits might even have synergistic effects when eaten together.

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