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ORAC click here Body Calm. (Opens new browser window) ORAC is a standardized test adopted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to measure the Total Antioxidant Potency of foods and nutritional supplements. The ORAC test is a very precise way of establishing the impact of foods and nutritional supplements ability to neutralize Free Radicals. "Antioxidants neutralize free radicals as
the natural by-product of normal cell processes. Free radicals are molecules
with incomplete electron shells which make them more chemically reactive than
those with complete electron shells. Exposure to various environmental factors,
including tobacco smoke and radiation, can also lead to free radical formation.
In humans, the most common form of free radicals is oxygen. When an oxygen
molecule (O2) becomes electrically charged or "radicalized" it tries to steal
electrons from other molecules, causing damage to the DNA and other molecules.
Over time, such damage may become irreversible and lead to disease including
cancer. Antioxidants are often described as "mopping up" free radicals, meaning
they neutralize the electrical charge and prevent the free radical from taking
electrons from other molecules." It has been established an ideal diet should contain 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC each day. This is not an easy task. Read the table below to see how much you would actually have to consume to receive the needed amount of ORAC each day.
The higher the ORAC value per equivalent weight of food the more antioxidant power it contains. Early reports of people taking the Vital Cherry is that they do not need to take as much as recommended on the bottle. Starting with 1/2 teaspoon a day for the first week then moving up to 1 teaspoon a day for the next week and gradually moving up to the tablespoon a day only if necessary to achieve your desired results.
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