Antioxidant-rich food rankings

Last Updated on 1st March 2023 by Caroline Haye

Top scoring foods for vitiligo recovery

We have all heard about the benefits of consuming antioxidants in our food and nutritional supplements. Virtually everyone on the planet has heard about unstable compounds called “oxygen free radicals”. And we know that these cause damage to our body’s cells. We also know that antioxidants protect us from this damage. But do we know which foods have the highest antioxidant levels? Read on for a list of antioxidant-rich food rankings… Knowing these may help you choose the best free-radical-fighting fruits and vegetables to support your vitiligo recovery… Not to mention any other health issue you care to mention.

According to the bestselling author of Miracle Cures, Stop the Ageing Now! And Food – Your Miracle Medicine:

“Loads of oxygen free radical thugs can get out of control, corrupting cells’ genetic DNA, ripping their membranes, eroding their normal functioning, and sometimes destroying them”. She further states, “In general, they (oxygen free radicals) are the dark forces that attack fatty cell membranes, creating permanent cellular damage that accumulates over time, leading to accelerated ageing and virtually every chronic disease imaginable, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis and degenerative brain problems”.

Jean Carper

Oxidative stress

Oxidative stress, due to free radical damage, is mentioned repeatedly in the vitiligo research literature as a cause or contributing factor. And therefore a diet as rich as possible in antioxidants is a good idea for anyone with vitiligo. (Or indeed any other skin complaint or chronic illness).

Most people think of fruits as the obvious source of dietary antioxidants (especially oranges for their vitamin C content).  However, although fruits are great in moderation, many vegetables are an even healthier choice… Because they are much lower in sugar and, in many cases, very much higher in nutritional value in general and antioxidant value in particular.

A study from Tufts University in Boston ranked the antioxidant value of commonly eaten fruits and vegetables using an analysis called ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity).

Top-scoring fruits and veggies are listed here along with their ORAC units per 100 grams

Fruits:

• Prunes — 5570
• Raisins — 2830
• Blueberries — 2400
• Blackberries — 2036
• Strawberries — 1540
• Raspberries — 1220
• Plums — 949
• Oranges — 750
• Red grapes — 739
• Cherries — 670
• Kiwi fruit — 602
• Grapefruit, pink — 483

Vegetables:

• Kale — 11770
• Spinach — 11260
• Brussels sprout — 1980
• Alfalfa sprouts — 1930
• Broccoli Flowers — 1890
• Beets — 1840
• Red bell pepper — 1710
• Onion — 1450
• Corn — 1400
• Eggplant — 1390

According to the research, we need about 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC units per day to have a significant impact on plasma and tissue antioxidant capacity. What is shocking is that most Americans are taking in about 1200 ORAC units daily. And I don’t suppose we are much better in the UK either.

According to the USDA estimate, these units come primarily from an average consumption of three fruit and vegetables per day. This means the average person is short between 1800 and 3800 ORAC units each day.  And I imagine that individuals with particular health problems would need a much higher daily intake.

Veggies have the highest ORAC score

Kale and other dark, leafy green vegetables score the highest in ORAC value. They also have the added benefit of being low in sugar, unlike many fruits. So eating a diet that includes lots of green veggies is essential for optimum health. Especially in the case of chronic health conditions like vitiligo that involve oxidative stress.

For us, it would probably be utterly impossible to eat sufficient quantities of organically grown antioxidant rich plants every day to combat the free radical damage we sustain on an ongoing basis. 

With this in mind, veggie superfood supplements are one solution to the problem. Which is why I highly recommend taking at least one teaspoon (but preferably three or more) of Five a Day+V per day… The other reason being that my re-pigmentation started within weeks of taking this supplement. And I feel sure that my recovery was due, in part, to the fact that this supplement is so rich in antioxidants (approx. 1040 ORACs per teaspoon).