Antioxidants are natural
substances found in plants,
which are known to aid in the
prevention of heart disease,
cancer and stroke. Berries have
an especially high level of
antioxidants, according to a
recent study published in the
journal BioFactors (Vol. 23,
pages 197-205).
The pigments that give berries
their rich red to blue, black
and purple colors are a type of phytochemical that has been
shown to have significant
disease-fighting,
cell-protecting
antioxidant
capacity. In addition to
boosting your immune system,
these valuable compounds are
also known to slow the effects
of aging by improving things
like memory, balance,
coordination and motor skills.
The Oxygen Radical Absorbance
Capacity (ORAC Value) of foods
is a measurement of the
Antioxidant levels. The higher
the ORAC Value, the more
Antioxidants a food has. It's
believed that foods high in
these powerful nutrients give
the body its greatest
protection.
Berries are some of the most
delicious and powerful
disease-fighting foods
available. Blueberries are among
fruits and vegetables with the
highest Antioxidant levels with
an ORAC Value of 5486. Right
behind blueberries are
blackberries with an ORAC Value
of 4654; strawberries at 3520
and raspberries, 2789. Berry
ORAC levels top that of many
other fruits and vegetables such
as oranges, grapefruit,
cherries, plums, brussell
sprouts, broccoli and spinach.
Single servings of fresh or
freshly cooked fruits and
vegetables supply an average of
600-800 ORAC units. Scientists
believe that increasing intake
of foods that provide 2000-5000
units per day may be needed to
increase serum and tissue
antioxidant activity
sufficiently to improve health
outcomes. This is why it’s
important to eat 5 to 9 servings
daily of fruits and vegetables.
The
MannaLife International makes it
easy and convenient to get your
5 to 9 servings each day and to
enjoy the very best that nature
has to offer. How many servings
have you and your children had
today?
