An Explanation of the ORAC Scale

Feb 27, 2018 04:57 AM Central
Suzanne WEBB WELLNESS
Chemistry and Science of Essential Oils, Recipes
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An Explanation of the ORAC Scale

ORAC - stands for Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity and is a scale supported by the USDA to measure antioxidant capacities of foods and essential oils. The higher the ORAC value, the more a food or essential oil is able to destroy free radicals in the body and therefore retard the ageing process and help prevent disease.

Free radicals, and the damage they can do at the cellular level, have received a lot of attention in the last few years. The oxidative stress caused by free radicals – which are produced during normal metabolism and cell function, as well as from stress and pollutants in our air, water and food – is implicated in everything from aging and wrinkling of skin to DNA damage, diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Antioxidants offer powerful, effective protection for your body and cells against their oxidative stress, by blunting the damaging effects of free radicals.

A study published in 2005 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition by Ilja CW Arts and Peter CH Hollman states

"In addition to their antioxidant properties, polyphenols show several interesting effects in animal models and in vitro systems; they trap and scavenge free radicals regulate nitric oxide, decrease leukocyte immobilization, induce apoptosis, inhibit cell proliferation and angiogenesis, and exhibit phytoestrongenic activity"

Phenols are a main constituent in essential oils such as Clove and Wintergreen. You can see from the list below that Clove essential oil contain the highest ORAC of any known substance on the earth! Measured in micromole Trolox Equivaments pr 100 grams, the ORAC values are often listed in other publication as measured in 'use per liter' which would add another zero to the end of the numbers. In the following table, the essential oil ORAC values are listed in grams.

One of the highest ORAC of a healthy food source is found is wolfberries coming in at 25,300 which blueberries at 2,400 to give you a reference. Raw cacao power is around 100,000.

ESSENTIAL OILS AND ORAC

Clove 1,078,700 !!!
Myrrh 397,800
Citronella 312,000
Clary Sage 221,000
Cedarwood 169,000
Rose 160,400
Ylang Ylang 130,000
Wintergreen 101,800
Geranium 101,000
Vetiver 74,300
Blue Tansy 68,800
Spikeard 54,800
Peppermint 37,300
Cypress 24,300
Grapefruit 22,600
Oregano 15,300
Cinnamon 10,340
Lemongrass 1,780
Helichrysum 1,740
Lemon 660
Frankincense 630
Lavender 360

Wolfberries 25,300

Blueberries 2,400

Reference: The Essential Oil Truth - The Facts Without the Hype by Jen O'Sullivan

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Su Bratchie 08/19/2021 04:29 PM Central

Really good and helpful blog

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An Explanation of the ORAC Scale

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