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More Information About Cell Aging and AntiOxidants
Cited from Power Discovery, LLC

"What are Free Radicals and Antioxidants?
We are all made up of atoms. Atoms that have a full outer shell of electrons tend to be healthy.
Atoms that do NOT have a full outer shell of electrons are unstable.
Free radicals tend to move quickly to try to steal an electron from whatever molecule happens to be around them. Of course,
whoever they steal an electron from becomes a new free radical and the process is like a domino effect.
Free radicals are not bad - in moderation. Our body performs many functions and there will always be some free radicals
created. However, if the level of free radicals gets too high in the body, you can run into major problems. Numerous diseases
and health issues have been linked to high levels of free radicals.
One of the more common types of free radicals are oxygen free radicals. These are oxygen atoms missing an electron. You
know that rust you see on the side of your car - well the same thing basically happens inside our body. Oxidative stress is what it
is called when oxygen free radicals start to cause damage in your body.

What causes Free Radicals?
Breathing, eating, moving - basically living! Yes, basically any stress we put on our body can cause free radicals. While obvious
things like polluted air, smoking, stressful events and unhealthy foods can cause free radicals - many "healthy" activities can
also create free radicals. Almost any type of exercise will put stress on our body - this stress on our muscles creates free radicals.

Antioxidants to the rescue
How do you turn a free radical into a harmless cell? You give the free radical the extra electron. What substance can supply this
extra electron? - antioxidants. Antioxidants are any substances that prevent or slow the oxidation process. Free radicals cause
oxidation - and antioxidants prevent oxidation; Antioxidants work by donating an electron to a free radical so it becomes a stable
oxygen molecule.

What is ORAC?
ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. ORAC measures the ability of just about any substance to subdue
oxygen free radicals in the test tube. In short, ORAC is a lab assay that can measure the antioxidant activity of any substance
and give it a number. The higher the ORAC number - the stronger the antioxidant properties of the substance.
National Institute on Aging developed the ORAC method and the US Department of Agriculture and Brunswick Labs have been
instrumental in perfecting the ORAC assay procedure and testing various foods to determine ORAC levels.
The USDA recommends we consume 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC units daily. In truth, 80% of the population is consuming less than
1,000 ORAC units a day. The USDA recommended "5-a-day" fruit and vegetable servings will give you an ORAC score of about
1,750 units. Fruits and vegetables tend to have the highest ORAC values. Per 100 grams - Apples score a 218, Bananas a 221,
blueberries 2,400. And what about fresh Acai? Acai has an amazing 5,500 ORAC score. More amazing, freeze dried
Sambazon Acai actually has an ORAC value of 34,000 per 100 grams.

How about Anthocyanins?
Anthocyanins are flavonoid pigments that plants and fruits synthesize. Anthocyanins give plants and fruits their deep
pigmentation. Anthocyanins can acts as a sunscreen for plants and in fruits the bright color attracts animals which feast on the
fruits and in the process disperse the seeds. However, the aspect of Anthocyanins that is of most interest in regard to the Acai fruit
is their antioxidant properties.
Fruits (like the Acai Berry Fruit) that are exposed to strong sunlight face a tremendous amount of ultra violet light stress. This UV
light triggers free radicals to form in the fruit. Fruits, such as the Acai berry, develop high levels of anthocyanins because they
have very strong antioxidants properties and can quench the free radicals. Surprisingly, the antioxidant properties of
anthocyanins are maintained even after they are eaten by another organism. This is why fruits with bright pigmentation tend to
have the great ORAC values and why Acai berries have a tremendous available concentration of anthocyanins.

The French Paradox and Anthocyanins
The French have a diet very rich in cheese, sugar, coffee, nicotine, sugar and white flour. With this type of diet you would expect
the French to have a very high rate of heart disease, however, the exact opposite is true. The ability of the French to consume a
heart clogging diet and yet have a very low rate of heart disease has been labeled the French Paradox.
Researchers now believe they have the reason for the "French Paradox" - anthocyanins! The French drink a significant amount
of red wine and the the red wine grape, due to its anthocyanins is what is believed to be responsible for the very low incidence of
heart disease. While red wine has a good quantity of anthocyanins, the Acai berry has over 30 times the anthocyanins as red
wine. "