The following table contains the in vitro antioxidant capacity of a number of common foods. There is little point in trying to compare across categories (e.g., comparing fruits and vegetables). With some caveats, however, it is useful for within category comparisons.
(The total antioxidant capacity (TAC, expressed in umol of TE/g) is the sum of the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) from both the lipophilic and hydrophilic elements in the sample. )
Fruits
The Big Winners:
Cranberry TAC = 94.56
Blueberry,
**Cultivated TAC = 62.20
**Wild TAC = 92.60
Plums,
**Plums TAC = 62.39
**Black TAC = 73.39
Blackberry TAC = 53.48
Raspberry TAC = 49.25
Solid Showing
Apples,
**red delicious TAC = 42.75
**granny smith TAC = 38.99
**gala TAC = 28.28
**golden delicious TAC = 26.70
**fuji TAC = 25.93
Strawberry TAC = 35.77
Cherries, sweet TAC = 33.61
Another Step Down
Avocado, Haas TAC = 19.33
Pears,
**Green cultivars TAC = 19.11
**Red Anjou TAC = 17.73
Peaches TAC = 18.63
Oranges, navel TAC = 18.41
Tangerines TAC = 16.20
Grapefruit, red TAC = 15.48
The following had TACs less than 15 but greater than 5: apricots, bananas, kiwi, nectarines, pineapples.
The following had TACs less than 5: cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon.
Non-starchy Veggies
The Big Winners
Artichoke, cooked TAC = 94.09
Cabbages
**Red (cooked) TAC = 31.46
**Red (raw) TAC = 22.52
**Common (raw) TAC = 13.59
Asparagus,
**Raw TAC = 30.17
**Cooked TAC = 16.44
Broccoli,
**Raab (raw) TAC = 30.84
**Raab (cooked) TAC = 15.55
**Common (raw) TAC = 15.90
**Common (cooked) TAC = 12.59
Beets, raw TAC = 27.74
Spinach, raw TAC = 26.40
Eggplant, raw TAC = 25.33
Solid Showing
Lettuce,
**Red leaf TAC = 17.85
**Green leaf TAC = 15.50
**Butterhead TAC = 14.24
**Romaine TAC = 9.89
**Iceberg TAC = 4.51
Onions,
**Yellow (cooked) TAC = 12.20
**Yellow (raw) TAC = 10.29
**Red (raw) TAC = 11.46
**Sweet (raw) TAC = 6.15
Carrots,
**Raw TAC = 12.15
**Cooked TAC = 3.71
**Baby (raw) TAC = 4.36
Another Step Down
Peppers,
**Yellow (raw) TAC = 10.24
**Sweet orange (raw) TAC = 9.84
**Sweet red (raw) TAC = 9.01
**Sweet red (cooked) TAC = 8.47
**Sweet green (cooked)TAC = 6.15
**Sweet green (raw) TAC = 5.58
Radishes TAC = 9.54
Cauliflower, raw TAC = 6.47
Celery, raw TAC = 5.74
The following had TACs of less than 5: cucumber, pumpkin (raw), tomatoes (raw/cooked).
Starchy Veggies
Potatoes,
**Russet (cooked) TAC = 15.55
**Russet (raw) TAC = 13.23
**Red (cooked) TAC = 13.26
**Red (raw) TAC = 10.98
**White (cooked) TAC = 10.81
**White (raw) TAC = 10.59
Sweet Potatoes,
**Raw TAC = 9.02
**Cooked TAC = 7.66
Corn,
**Raw TAC = 7.28
**Frozen TAC = 5.22
Legumes
Beans (dry, uncooked),
**Small red TAC = 149.21
**Red kidney TAC = 144.13
**Pinto TAC = 123.59
**Black TAC = 80.40
**Navy TAC = 24.74
Peas,
**Blackeye (dry) TAC = 43.43
**Green (frozen) TAC = 6.00
Peanuts TAC = 31.66
Beans, snap (raw) TAC = 2.67
Nuts
Pecans TAC = 179.40
Walnuts TAC = 135.41
Hazelnuts TAC = 96.45
Pistachios TAC = 79.83
Almonds TAC = 44.54
Cashews TAC = 19.97
Macadamias TAC = 16.95
Brazil nuts TAC = 14.19
Pine Nutes TAC = 7.19
Dried Fruits
Prunes TAC = 85.78
Dates,
**Deglet Noor TAC = 38.95
**Medjool TAC = 23.87
Figs TAC = 33.83
Raisins TAC = 30.37
Spices
Cloves, ground TAC = 3144.46
Cinnamon, ground TAC = 2675.36
Oregano leaf, dried TAC = 2001.29
Turmeric, ground TAC = 1592.77
Baking chocolate TAC = 1039.71
Parsley, dried TAC = 743.49
Basil leaf, dried TAC = 675.53
Curry powder TAC = 485.04
Black pepper,
**Whole TAC = 301.41
**Ground TAC = 250.94
Yellow mustard, ground TAC = 292.57
Ginger, ground TAC = 288.11
Chili Powder TAC = 236.35
Paprika TAC = 179.19
Garlic Powder TAC = 66.66
Onion Powder TAC = 57.35
Information taken from: Wu, X., G. Beecher, J. Holden, D. Haytowitz, S. Gebhardt, & R. Prior. 2004. Lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidant capacities of common foods in the United States, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 52: 4026-4037.
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