Antioxidants and
Nuts
Numerous
epidemiological and cohort studies have suggested that nuts are a potential
source of dietary antioxidants, which have been shown to decrease the risk of
heart disease, cancer and other chronic diseases. There are several different methods used to
measure antioxidant levels. The chart
below highlights values using the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC)
method. While more research is needed, this chart gives a nice overview of both
the antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content of nuts and other foods.
Lipophilic
(L-ORACFL), Hydrophilic (H-ORACFL), Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC), and Total
Phenolics (TP) of Nuts and Other Foodsa
|
foodb |
L-ORACFLc (ímol of TE/g) |
range |
H-ORACFL (ímol of TE/g) |
range |
TACd (ímol of TE/g) |
TPe (mg of GAE/g) |
Serving size (g) |
TAC/ serving f (ímol of TE) |
|
almonds |
1.72
± 0.50 |
1.48 |
42.82
± 8.71 |
25.62 |
44.54 |
4.18
± 0.84 |
28.4g (1 oz.) |
1265 |
|
Brazil
nuts |
5.57
± 2.17 |
5.42 |
8.62
± 2.06 |
5.72 |
14.19 |
3.10
± 0.96 |
28.4g (1 oz.) |
403 |
|
cashews |
4.74
± 1.38 |
3.94 |
15.23
± 2.04 |
5.49 |
19.97 |
2.74
± 0.39 |
28.4g (1 oz.) |
567 |
|
hazelnuts |
3.70
± 2.66 |
7.74 |
92.75
± 17.78 |
61.60 |
96.45 |
8.35
± 2.16 |
28.4g (1 oz.) |
2739 |
|
macadamias |
2.52
± 0.57 |
1.59 |
14.43
± 2.31 |
7.59 |
16.95 |
1.56
± 0.29 |
28.4g (1 oz.) |
481 |
|
peanuts |
2.73
± 1.04 |
2.25 |
28.93
± 2.36 |
4.93 |
31.66 |
3.96
± 0.54 |
28.4g (1 oz.) |
899 |
|
pecans |
4.16
± 0.98 |
3.22 |
175.24
± 10.36 |
30.76 |
179.40 |
20.16
± 1.03 |
28.4g (1 oz.) |
5095 |
|
pine
nuts |
2.76
± 0.60 |
1.48 |
4.43
± 1.11 |
3.58 |
7.19 |
0.68
± 0.25 |
28.4g (1 oz.) |
204 |
|
pistachios |
4.25
± 1.46 |
4.18 |
75.57
± 10.50 |
30.60 |
79.83 |
16.57
± 1.21 |
28.4g (1 oz.) |
2267 |
|
walnuts |
4.84
± 1.25 |
3.21 |
130.57
± 35.20 |
95.20 |
135.41 |
15.56
± 4.06 |
28.4g (1 oz.) |
3846 |
|
blueberries,
cultivated |
0.36
± 0.18 |
0.52 |
61.84
± 7.75 |
24.27 |
62.20 |
5.31
± 0.96 |
145g (1 cup) |
9019 |
|
broccoli,
raw |
1.72
± 0.24 |
0.61 |
14.18
± 2.04 |
6.01 |
15.90 |
3.37
± 0.62 |
44g (½
cup) |
700 |
|
orange,
navel |
0.29
± 0.13 |
0.35 |
17.85
± 3.79 |
9.76 |
18.14 |
3.37
± 0.39 |
140g (1 fruit) |
2540 |
|
tomatoes,
cooked |
0.34
± 0.05 |
0.14 |
4.26
± 0.86 |
1.92 |
4.60 |
1.00
± 0.11 |
120g (½ cup) |
552 |
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a Data expressed on the “as is” weight basis and presented
as mean ± SD for sample
numbers >2. b Sample number for each food (n=4-8). c ORACFL data expressed
as micromoles of Trolox equivalents per gram (ímol of TE/g). d TAC
) L-ORACFL + H-ORACFL. e Total
phenolics data expressed as milligrams of gallic acid equivalents per gram (mg
of GAE/g).
f Serving size from USDA National
Nutrient Database for Standard Reference (www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp).
Source: Wu, X., Beecher, G.R., Holden, J.M.,
Haytowitz, D.B., Gebhardt, S.E., R.L. Prior, 2004. Lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidant
capacities of common foods in the