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PORTLAND, Maine, May 5 /PRNewswire/ —
USDA’s database of antioxidant values for various foods, places
blueberry juice at the top of the list among more than a dozen juices
tested including pomegranate, apple, prune, cranberry and Concord
grape. Using the Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity (ORAC) testing
procedure, the gold standard of antioxidant measures for detecting the
free-radical scavenging ability of foods, blueberry juice had the
highest ORAC score of 2,906 umol TE/100g. The ORAC database was
prepared by the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service and is available here.
“A serving of 100% fruit juice is a
healthy way to get one of your daily fruit servings,” said Susan Davis,
MS, RD, nutrition advisor to the Wild Blueberry Association of North
America. “A glass of juice can be a refreshing, nutritious energy
boost, but moderation of how much juice you drink is key. Control
calories by making juice part of an overall healthy diet that includes
many fruits and vegetables and balances carbohydrates, fats, protein,
and fiber.”
The USDA Dietary Guidelines for
Americans recommends anywhere from 2 1/2 to 6 1/2 cups or 5 to 13
servings a day of colorful fruit and vegetables depending on age,
gender and activity level. According to Davis, a 4-ounce glass of 100%
fruit juice equals 1/2 cup of fruit and counts toward daily fruit
serving goals. “Try fresh, frozen, canned, juice or dried, because all
forms count when you’re trying to add more fruits and vegetables into
your diet. Make sure you get a colorful variety of fruits and
vegetables, and when it comes to blue, eat at least 1/2 cup of Wild
Blueberries or drink 4 ounces of Wild Blueberry juice every day,” said
Davis.
The ORAC assay has become the most
referenced source of antioxidant values for food. Manufacturers of a
wide range of food products highlight ORAC values of their products on
labels and web sites to provide information and guidance to their
customers on the sometimes confusing information emerging on dietary
antioxidants.
While the recent USDA data collection
didn’t specifically list ORAC results for Wild Blueberries or Wild
Blueberry juice, versus just blueberry, previous USDA tests have shown
Wild Blueberries outperform more than 20 other fruits in the ORAC test.
A landmark study previously conducted by the USDA showed that a one-cup
serving of Wild Blueberries had more antioxidant capacity than a
serving of cranberries, strawberries, raspberries, apples and even
cultivated blueberries. (Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry,
52:4026-4037, 2004.) Wild Blueberries are concentrated sources of
protective natural compounds that have antioxidant and
anti-inflammatory effects.
Wild Blueberry Association of North America
The Wild Blueberry Association of North
America is a trade association of growers and processors of Wild
Blueberries from Maine, dedicated to bringing the Wild Blueberry health
story and unique Wild Advantages to consumers and the trade worldwide.
To learn more about Wild Blueberries visit wildblueberries.com