Startling New Evidence: You Can Slow the Aging Process
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She Told You So
An easier way to understand ORAC is to look at particular foods. Let’s take spinach, for example. We all know spinach is good for us. Mom said so. And Popeye.
When USDA scientists tested spinach, they found it has an ORAC value of 1260 units per serving. So spinach qualifies as a “high-ORAC food,” which may help slow the aging process.
It turns out Mom was right. She knew it would keep you healthier. But she probably never told you that spinach may keep you younger- to actually help you age more slowly.
Sound the Alarm
We have an epidemic of age-related disease in America. The statistics are shocking. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) in Atlanta now says that 80% of elderly Americans have at least one chronic disease. And 50% have two or more!
And the ORAC tests help explain these terrible numbers. The truth is, our diets are woefully deficient in nutrient-dense, high-ORAC foods.
USDA researchers estimate that you need somewhere around 5,000 ORAC units in your diet every day to get the ORAC benefits that slow aging and prevent disease.
But they also estimate that the average American gets only 1,200 ORAC units a day. This means that most of us are eating our way to one or more of the chronic diseases of aging.
Is it any wonder, then, that the diseases of aging are out of control? The average American gets less than the antioxidant (ORAC) value of one serving of spinach every day.
So what do you do if you hate spinach? No worries! There are many foods that rank high on the ORAC scale. Many delicious fruits and vegetables have high ORAC values: prunes, raisins, blueberries, blackberries, kale, alfalfa sprouts, and Brussels sprouts are all rich in ORAC. Just find the ones you like, and eat more of them.
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