We are probably all aware of the need for sufficient vitamins and minerals in our diet. However, my research shows that many of us in this speedy modern world are not getting the proper intake of vitamins or minerals. I've found that a good vitamin and mineral supplement or two is necessary for me, and, I believe, for many of us.

In earlier times those people who understood the need for supplements might have to buy a vast amount of different little bottles and get one vitamin from this bottle, another from that bottle and that certain mineral from another bottle.

Now, with super-vitamins we can get much of what we need from one source.

And scientific advancements have lead to the development of liquid nutritional supplements, making it easier to take and to assimilate into your body.

However, in science there always seems to be something new under the sun and besides vitamins, and then super-vitamins, and then liquid vitamins, I've come to understand that another important factor in choosing the right type of vitamins is to know its Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) rating.

The ORAC rating is a definitive test for assessing the antioxidant strength of potential antioxidant compounds. The higher the score the stronger the antioxidant capability of the compound.

Studies at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston suggest that consuming fruits and vegetables with a high ORAC value may help slow the aging process in both the body and brain.

So, what do we mean by antioxidant and how can it be useful to us?

As you age, the body replaces cells in your organs and tissues. Why, then, are they often not as good as when you were younger? One of the primary answers is stress.

Bodily stress is caused by many things, including mental strain, physical exertion, environmental toxins like cigarette smoke and pesticides, even poor diets. Stress can be dangerous because damaging molecules called free radicals are generated. Free radicals are scavengers created inside your body that cause tremendous harm and accelerate the signs of aging. They disrupt body systems, destroy cell membranes, mutate cells and even reprogram your body's DNA.

Antioxidants are nature's way of protecting your body from harmful free radical scavengers, by converting free radicals into harmless elements and so neutralizing their damaging effects.

So with this in mind, how do we choose the best supplement?

Well, Brunswick Laboratories in Wareham, MA has conducted official testing of the antioxidant capacity of leading liquid nutritional supplements. They are the premier ORAC testing facility in the nation. It is an independent laboratory and does not endorse products.

Brunswick tested the following products for their ORAC. They found several factors to consider when looking for the best liquid nutritional supplement.
They suggest the following factors:

1. Facts with Integrity

Interpreting the labels of some multi-nutrient products can be like reading a foreign language; you're just not sure what they're saying. Some companies say that the amount of some ingredients in their products "varies from one batch to another." So choose a brand that can verify sources and provide a detailed listing of the ingredients.

2. Scientific Balance

Find a supplement brand where no ingredient is sourced or technical process explored unless it is grounded in qualified, scientific principles.

3. Unique Ingredients

Check if there are any unique ingredients in the supplement that you feel, from your research, add some extra impact to the product.

4. High ORAC Score

Above we discussed the importance of antioxidant power of foods and supplements, so that the product can absorb maximum of the dangerous free radicals

5. Class 10,000 Production

A Class 10,000 Clean Room Manufacturing Facility assures that the supplement is manufactured in the most sanitary environment available. Heart pacemakers and super-computer chips for example, are manufactured in such a room

In conclusion I'll just say that to keep your health at the highest level, it's important to look for the best vitamin and mineral supplements available. It's one of the most worthwhile decisions you'll make.