“Recent research* shows that phytochemicals in plants (e.g. fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices) can help protect our body. The greatest number of these healthful compounds can be found in the most colorful foods. These phytochemicals play an important role in our diet because of their antioxidant power, anti-inflammatory strength, and the ability to boost our bodies’ natural detoxification systems. They are crucial to fight off diseases and promote health.”

Scientist measure antioxidant strength by ORAC and TAC measures. ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbent Capacity. TAC is a measure of Total Antioxidant Capacity. Scientists have not come to a consensus about how many antioxidants and what kinds to consume in a daily diet. Below is a simplified table listing the TAC scores for 100 common foods based on this latest research.

Research cited: XIANLI WU, GARY R. BEECHER, JOANNE M. HOLDEN, DAVID B. HAYTOWITZ, SUSAN E. GEBHARDT, AND RONALD L. PRIOR. Lipophilic and Hydrophilic Antioxidant Capacities of Common Foods in the United States. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2004, 52, 4026-4037