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 

0.52

61.84 7.75

24.27

62.20

5.31 

145g (1 cup)

9019

broccoli, raw

1.72 

0.61

14.18 

6.01

15.90

3.37 

44g

(½ cup)

700

orange, navel

0.29 

0.35

17.85 

9.76

18.14

3.37 

140g (1 fruit)

2540

tomatoes, cooked

0.34 

0.14

4.26 

1.92

4.60

1.00 

120g (½ cup)

552

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 United States. J Agric Food Chem. 52:4026-37.