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VICUS.COM (04 March 2000) -- Tea, onions, soy, and wine are the
main dietary sources of the major flavanoids,
and several large population studies show an inverse relationship
between the consumption of flavonoids and coronary
heart disease, which cannot be explained by vitamins, minerals,
and macronutrients alone.
Some flavonoids possess antioxidant activity,
but which foods and beverages are the most efficient sources of this
effect?
A comparison of the equivalent antioxidant activity of ten common
foods and beverages is presented in the table below. Although the
antioxidant component in each food differs, the antioxidant activity
can be expressed in terms of micromol Trolox equivalents.
Using this approach, red wine and tea are the most efficient
sources of antioxidant activity.
One glass of red wine is equivalent in antioxidant activity to two
cups of tea or 12 glasses of white wine. Similarly, a glass of orange
juice provides almost three times greater antioxidant activity than
apple juice.
|
Equivalent
Antioxidant Activity
(expressed as
micromol Trolox equivalent)
|
|
Beverage |
| Red
wine |
1 glass
|
(150
mL) |
|
White
wine |
12 glasses
|
(150
mL) |
| Tea |
2 cups
|
(150
mL/cup) |
| Black
currant juice |
3.5 glasses
|
(150
mL/glass) |
| Beer |
3.5 glasses
|
(500
mL/glass) |
| Orange
juice |
7 glasses
|
(150
mL/glass) |
|
Apple
juice |
20 glasses
|
(150
mL/glass) |
|
Food |
| Apples |
4 apples
|
(100g
each) |
| Onion |
5 portions
|
(100g
each) |
| Eggplant |
5.5 portions
|
(100g
each) |
John
Russo, Jr. PharmD,
is senior vice president of medical
communications at Vicus.com. He is a pharmacist and medical writer
with more than 20 years of experience in medical education.
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