| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|||||||||
ORIGINAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATION |
1 From the Department of Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (BLH, MHC, SKB, KH, and RB); the Biochemistry Department, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA (KMP); and the Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (DRJ)
Background: Supplements containing ascorbic acid, 
-tocopherol, or ß-carotene do not protect against oxidative stress–related diseases in most randomized intervention trials. We suggest that other redox-active phytochemicals may be more effective and that a combination of different redox-active compounds (ie, antioxidants or reductants) may be needed for proper protection against oxidative damage.
Objective: We aimed to generate a ranked food table with values for total content of redox-active compounds to test this alternative antioxidant hypothesis.
Design: An assay that measures the total concentration of redox-active compounds above a certain cutoff reduction potential was used to analyze 1113 food samples obtained from the US Department of Agriculture National Food and Nutrient Analysis Program.
Results: Large variations in the content of antioxidants were observed in different foods and food categories. The food groups spices and herbs, nuts and seeds, berries, and fruit and vegetables all contained foods with very high antioxidant contents. Most food categories also contained products almost devoid of antioxidants. Of the 50 food products highest in antioxidant concentrations, 13 were spices, 8 were in the fruit and vegetables category, 5 were berries, 5 were chocolate-based, 5 were breakfast cereals, and 4 were nuts or seeds. On the basis of typical serving sizes, blackberries, walnuts, strawberries, artichokes, cranberries, brewed coffee, raspberries, pecans, blueberries, ground cloves, grape juice, and unsweetened baking chocolate were at the top of the ranked list.
Conclusion: This ranked antioxidant food table provides a useful tool for investigations into the possible health benefit of dietary antioxidants.
Key Words: Redox active compounds • oxidative stress • antioxidants • chronic degenerative diseases • oxidative damage • ferric reducing ability of plasma
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  A. M. W. Johansen, A. J. Wilcox, R. T. Lie, L. F. Andersen, and C. A. Drevon Maternal Consumption of Coffee and Caffeine-containing Beverages and Oral Clefts: A Population-based Case-Control Study in Norway Am. J. Epidemiol., May 15, 2009; 169(10): 1216 - 1222. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 C. E. O'Neil and T. A. Nicklas A Review of the Relationship Between 100% Fruit Juice Consumption and Weight in Children and Adolescents American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, July 1, 2008; 2(4): 315 - 354. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. Rautiainen, M. Serafini, R. Morgenstern, R. L Prior, and A. Wolk The validity and reproducibility of food-frequency questionnaire-based total antioxidant capacity estimates in Swedish women Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, May 1, 2008; 87(5): 1247 - 1253. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 G. J. van Woudenbergh, R. Vliegenthart, F. J.A. van Rooij, A. Hofman, M. Oudkerk, J. C.M. Witteman, and J. M. Geleijnse Coffee Consumption and Coronary Calcification: The Rotterdam Coronary Calcification Study Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol., May 1, 2008; 28(5): 1018 - 1023. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. R Jacobs Jr, L. F. Andersen, and R. Blomhoff Whole-grain consumption is associated with a reduced risk of noncardiovascular, noncancer death attributed to inflammatory diseases in the Iowa Women's Health Study Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, June 1, 2007; 85(6): 1606 - 1614. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
