The term ORAC is short for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. It refers to a method of measuring how much antioxidant is in a particular food. Various berries, fruits, vegetables and some spices have rated very high in terms of so-called ORAC value.
Many experts believe that foods with high antioxidant potency or high ORAC values have a positive impact on health and are a significant factor in the "free radical theory of aging". Why Are Free Radicals Bad?
Free radicals are a byproduct of normal everyday cell function. As a cell creates energy, it also produces unstable oxygen molecules. These molecules which are called "free radicals". These free radicals have a "free" electron. This free electron makes the molecule very unstable. The free radical then bonds to other molecules in the human body. This bonding of free radicals to other molecules causes proteins and other important molecules to function inadequately. Why Are Antioxidants Good?
Antioxidants are substances that either prevent or slow down the oxidation process caused by free radicals. It is believed that if your body has a sufficient amount of antioxidants available, it can minimize the oxidation damage caused by free radicals. So if you accept this idea you would want to increase your intake of foods with lots of antioxidants or foods with a high ORAC value.
Coca Cola was launched as a medicine in the 19th century but it hasn't been celebrated for its health-giving properties in quite a while. So it is slightly odd to see large promotional features in for Diet Coke Plus - containing a choice of either vitamins or the nutritional supplements() such as antioxidants. Aimed at health-conscious women, the bottles are pictured with colour-coded accessories and touted as a guilt-free highlight of your day - just like smoothing on some luxurious moisturising cream.
Little more than water
What can a company known for producing soft drinks with flavour so addictive it can only appeal to our pleasure instincts do next? It is the next step by soft-drinks companies trying to diversify into healthier lines, which began with the "diet" ranges, then developed into a stampede to sell us exciting new types of bottled water. Many of these bottled water crazes have died out, following complaints that they are little more than repackaged tap water.
It's no replacement for healthy living
Diet Coke with antioxidants, however, is a bold step beyond. Will it appeal to those who frequent health food stores? Unlikely. Most will probably be averse to the sweeteners (a blend of aspartame and sodium saccharine) and flavourings it contains to bring it the pleasure-oriented consumer. While research foundations are all in favour of companies trying to make products healthier and contain a good deal more in the way of vitamins() and nutritional supplements that we need, nutrition scientists warn: We do need to be careful not to encourage our users to see these foods as a quick fix to compensate for a poor diet.
Fruit in a bottle?
Expect to see much more of this kind of thing, though. Some fruit-heavy soft drinks contains vitamin B, vitamin C and vitamin D, though it and vitamin-enriched Sunny Delight are warned that omitting to mention their sugar content is wrong. Even water is no longer as pure and simple as it was. V Water offers a range loaded with vitamins and nutritional supplements() said to cure hangovers and stress, while a new cosmaceutical spring water is on the way, containing a bioactive protein rich substance, and claiming to reduce redness and blemished skin. Isn't that what drinking lots of tap water is meant to do for you?
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