How Do You “Measure” Antioxidants?
Hopefully since you’ve gotten this far, you’re starting to get a good idea of why you should eat, what you should eat, to maintain a good gout diet. The missing piece of the puzzle is some foods have more antioxidant power than others and that means ORAC.
How do we know? How do we measure it?
What Is ORAC?
“Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity”.
Once again, there is an enormous amount of very technical language to contend with. You can find a detailed explanation at Wikipedia about ORAC, but for our purposes, I want to try to keep this simple.
ORAC scores or values were developed by scientists at the National Institutes of Health. All the studies, testing and experimentation indicate that foods with higher values have a greater ability to neutralize the effects of free radicals. This is critical for slowing down the aging process and to help protect us from disease.
One of the most well-known companies to test for antioxidant potency is Brunswick Labs. They’ve been working closely with the USDA since 1997. (But that doesn’t make them all bad)
Depending on who you talk to, a good daily score is between 5000 and 6000 per day. Others say that 10,000 is optimal. As a side note, it’s good to try to keep your scores high because it is usually a good indicator that you’re getting a healthy dose of flavonoids.
Flavonoids are measured in milligrams. (mg) 1000mg or higher is what you and I are looking for when it comes to boosting up our sources of anti-inflammatory food sources that help keep the gout away.
No major flare ups, plus I lost 30lbs!
Hi Bert, Just wanted to check in and let you know things are going pretty well. No major flare ups. Your advice has given me a new outlook on my health. I have not eaten any chicken meat or fish since Thanksgiving. I have lost around 30 lbs. and counting.(need about 100 more) But I am heading in the right direction. I have recently incorporated chia seeds into my diet and was wondering if you had an opinion of them. They seem to be at very least a great source of fiber.
Thanks again ~ Jim
Flavonoids Are Very Anti-inflammatory
It’s important to understand what the numbers mean when comparing the ORAC values of different foods. The values are based on a laboratory measure and expressed in micromoles (one millionth (10-6) of a mole) of Trolox Equivalents per 100 grams of a given sample.
It’s important when comparing something like a ground spice to something like a raw fruit. 100 grams of ground spice is much more dense in organic compounds. Therefore, spices will undoubtedly have a higher ORAC value compared to 100 grams of a raw fruit that is made up of mostly water. You would find it difficult and even dangerous to consume large quantities of spices. Eating a wide variety of antioxidant-rich foods is advisable.
While various spices and herbs have outstanding antioxidant values, it is more commonly understood that dark-skinned fruits and green leafy vegetables are the more common and readily available sources. To get more specific, look for food that are high in flavonoids – here are a few ideas:
Fruits:
- raspberries
- cherries
- red grapes
- bananas
- oranges
- apples
- plums
- peaches
- apricots
Some Nuts:
- walnuts
- pecans
- pistachios
Nightshade Vegetables:
- tomatoes
- peppers
- eggplant
- onions
- celery
- artichokes
- snap peas
- okra
- broccoli
- kale
Spices:
- dill
- parsley
- thyme
- capers
Some Beans:
- black beans
- kidneys
- fava beans
- pinto beans
(be careful with beans! high purines!)
I saved the best for last. A food source with a particularly high ORAC value is raw cacao. Cold-pressed dark chocolate can be incredibly helpful with gout simply because of the high rate of “compliance” – with dark chocolate, you’ll never forget to load up on antioxidants.
☆ Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity…antioxidant power.
“I know your pain. Let me help you kill your gout for good! And teach you to advocate for yourself and take ownership of your gout recovery, by showing you how to live the gout-free lifestyle.” Two decades ago, Bert Middleton found himself diagnosed with gout. Like 8.3 million other people in the United States (approximately 4% of the population), he struggled helplessly with the physical, emotional, social, and financial impact that gout left unchecked can have on your life. Prescription drugs were of limited help… And the terrible pain of regular gout attacks left him unable to enjoy even the simplest daily pleasures. His marriage was suffering. His finances were spiraling due to the impact gout had on his ability to work. And maintaining a social life was often nearly impossible. Tophi surgeries left him in terrible pain. And he found himself depressed … and angry … that gout was stealing years of his life.
Until one day, after hundreds of hours of research and self-experimentation, Bert finally had a breakthrough and created a blueprint for a way of living that would prove to be “the answer” to living gout-free for nearly a decade now. Today, Bert and his “Gout Wife” Sharon devote their evenings and weekends to educating other gout sufferers on how to live the gout-free lifestyle. Showing others his 911 Emergency Response Gout Recovery Plan for getting PAINFUL gout attacks under control in as little as 4 hours. And then, how to make daily choices that keep gout under control for GOOD! So you can finally start LIVING again!