High Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity Foods Yield Antiaging Properties

Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) is a test tube analysis that measures the total antioxidant power of foods and other chemical substances.

First research reports suggest that eating high-ORAC fruits and vegetables?such as spinach and blueberries?may help slow the aging processes in both body and brain.

ARS Administrator, Floyd P. Horn, states, ?If these findings are borne out in further research, young and middle-aged people may be able to reduce risk of diseases of aging?including senility?simply by adding high-ORAC foods to their diets.?

The studies revealed high-ORAC foods:

?Raised the antioxidant power of human blood 10 to 25 percent
?Prevented some loss of long-term memory and learning ability in middle-aged rats
?Maintained the ability of brain cells in middle-aged rats to respond to a chemical stimulus--a function that normally decreases with age
?Protected rats' tiny blood vessels--capillaries--against oxygen damage

The health community has long held the thesis that oxidative damage culminates in many of the maladies of aging. The evidence has stimulated sales of antioxidant vitamins. However, the early studies have mixed results.

Nutritionist Ronald L. Prior posits, If we can show some relationship between ORAC intake and health outcome in people, I think we may reach a point where the ORAC value will become a new standard for good antioxidant protection.

In a second study, men and women had a 13- to 15-percent increase in the antioxidant power of their blood after doubling their daily fruit and vegetable intake compared to what they consumed before the study. Just doubling intake, without regard to ORAC scores of the fruits and vegetables, more than doubled the number of ORAC units the volunteers consumed, Prior said.

While the research jury is still weighing the evidence, one company has hit the market place with a product, few can resist. Xo?ai? has capitalized on the natural antioxidant properties of chocolate and combined it with Blueberries and Acai. Acai is a plant with the highest antioxidant rated fruit on earth.

This product is ?a dream come true? for chocolate lovers everywhere. Xo?ai? blends the world's best antioxidant ingredients into a delicious dark chocolate beverage, rich dark chocolate nugget, and health-packed chocolate protein bar. They are truly unique! Xo?ai? claims a 3,120 ORAC per 12 oz. nugget of dark chocolate. Each Xo?ai? protein bar contains an astonishing 4,066 ORAC units! And because Xo?ai? is made from whole, natural foods, its antioxidants are in a form your body can easily absorb and use. (ORAC tests conducted by the USDA and Brunswick Laboratories.).

This product seems like the ideal way to ?Have your cake (candy) and eat it too,? with healthy benefits of antioxidants and satisfying the chocolate lover?s palate.

Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD, author, international speaker and inspiration leader specializes in: Mind, Body, Spirit healing and Physical/Sexual Abuse Prevention and Recovery. Dr. Neddermeyer empowers people to view life's challenges as an opportunity for Personal/Professional Growth and Spiritual Awakening. http://www.drdorothy.net