Nutritional Analysis:
Goji Berries and ORAC Value
ORAC is the standard test, adopted by the US Department of Agriculture, to measure the potency of antioxidants in food. The test was developed by Dr. Guohua Cao, a physician and chemist who worked at the National Institute on Aging in Baltimore, Maryland. The ORAC test, gives a good idea of the free-radical-destroying potential of a given food. It does this by measuring the time an antioxidant takes to react as well as the capacity of antioxidants within the sample food. It combines these elements into one measurement that is commonly expressed in terms of a 100 gram sample.
It has been suggested that humans should consume about 5000 ORAC units a day for maximum benefits. Unfortunately, most people do not eat nearly enough vegetables and fruit, or the right type of vegetables and fruit, to achieve this. For example, to get your daily ORAC dose from apples, you would need to eat 2,294 grams of apple (or about 22 apples). However, as you can see from the below chart, eating just 20 grams of goji berries will cover you.
Fruits ORAC Score Grams Needed to Reach DRI
Goji Berries 25,300 20
Black Raspberries 7,700 65
Prunes 5,770 87
Bilberry 4,460 112
Pomegranates 3,307 151
Raisins 2,830 177
Blueberries 2,400 208
Red Raspberries 2,400 208
Blackberries 2,036 246
Strawberries 1,540 325
Noni Fruit 1,506 332
Plums 949 527
Oranges 750 667
Cherries 670 746
Red grapes 739 677
Pink grapefruit 495 1010
White grapefruit 460 1087
Apples 218 2294
Banana 210 2381
Pears 134 3731
Watermelon 100 5000
Vegetables ORAC Score Grams Needed to Reach DRI
Garlic 1939 258
Spinach 1,770 282
Steamed spinach 909 550
Yellow squash 1,150 435
Brussels sprouts 980 510
Alfalfa sprouts 930 538
Broccoli 880 568
Broccoli flowers 890 562
Beets 840 595
Avocado 782 639
Red bell pepper 710 704
Baked beans 503 994
Onions 450 1111
Corn 400 1250
Peas, Frozen 375 1333
Eggplant 390 1282
Potato 300 1667
Sweet Potato 295 1695
Cabbage 295 1695
Cauliflower 385 1299
Carrot 210 2381
Tomato 195 2564
Cucumber 60 8333
Other ORAC Score Grams Needed to Reach DRI
Dark Chocolate 13,120 38.1
Milk Chocolate 6,740 74.2
Rooibos tea (200ml) 750 133
As you can see from the chart above, the Goji Berry possesses an unmatched ability to absorb injurious, free radicals that attack the body, and contribute to the aging process and many diseases.
Our bodies are constantly being bombarded by these free radicals because of the air we breathe, the water we drink, the pesticides on our fruits and vegetables, the chemicals we clean with, the preservatives in our processed food, our high sugar intake, ect..
Eating foods high in antioxidants is one way we can help our bodies combat these free radicals.
Nutrition Content of Goji Berries
The Goji Berry is a complete protein loaded with antioxidants, with 18 amino acids including all 8 essential amino acids. They are are rich source of carotenoids, including beta-carotene and contain more vitamin C per ounce than an orange. The berries contain over 20 trace minerals including zinc, iron, copper, and phosphorus. They also contain vitamin B1, B2, B6, and E.
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