ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity) is an assay that measures the total antioxidant power of foods and dietary supplements. Though several methods are used to measure the antioxidant capacity, ORAC is becoming the standard test method for this measurement.

Several substances known to have antioxidant capacity are: vitamins (C and E), carotenoids (betacarotene, alpha-carotene), enzymes (superoxide dismutase, glutathione, coenzyme Q10), selenium, phycocyanin, and polyphenols.

Reactive oxygen species (free radicals) are by-products generated during normal cellular aerobic respiration, and are also created by exposure to external sources of environmental stress such as smoke and radiation. Free radicals are molecules with an unpaired number of electrons, which makes them highly reactive. Once formed, they can start a chain reaction, damaging important cellular components such as genetic material or the cell membrane.

Antioxidants are intimately involved in the prevention of cellular damage. To prevent free radical damage, the human body utilizes antioxidants that react with free radicals and neutralize them before they can do damage.

The theory that oxidative stress leads to health issues associated with aging and disease is well accepted in the health community. According to the United States Department of Agriculture Research Service, “foods that score high in ORAC may protect cells and their components from oxidative damage. Early findings suggest that eating plenty of high-ORAC fruits and vegetables, such as blueberries and spinach, may help slow the processes associated with aging and disease in both body and brain.” Increasing one’s intake of dietary antioxidants may help maintain an adequate antioxidant status and normal physiological functions.

According to a Rice University report, endurance exercise can increase oxygen utilization more than 10 times that of the resting state. This greatly amplifies the generation of free radicals, prompting concerns about increased tissue damage. However, two interesting concepts have emerged from recent studies. The first is that regular physical exercise slowly enhances the antioxidant defense system and protects against exercise-induced free radical damage. Conversely, intense exercise in individuals who exercise only occasionally overwhelms defenses, resulting in increased free radical damage.

We have included a graph* comparing the ORAC values of fruits and vegetables with whole Super Blue Green Algae (SBGA). SBGA contains 128 ORAC units per gram. Since there are several different chemical species of free radicals, a combination of antioxidants found in whole foods, or a wide variety of antioxidants, may be a better approach than consuming isolated nutrients. According to a 1999 article in Agriculture Research, Guohua Cao, a physician and chemist who developed the ORAC assay, proposed, “It may be that combinations of nutrients found in foods have greater protective effects than each nutrient taken alone.”

What does this mean for blue-green algae eaters? Aphanizomenon flos-aquae contains an impressive ORAC value when compared to many other whole foods. But SBGA has so much more overall nutritional value than many ORAC-rated foods—it is not only a high ORAC rating, but also the combination of a wide variety of essential nutrients in one source that makes SBGA such an extraordinary dietary supplement for health-conscious consumers.

*Source of data in graph: USDA Agricultural Research Service. Ou, B, et al. Analysis of Antioxidant Activities of Common Vegetables Employing ORAC and FRAP Assays. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2002, 50, 3122-3128.