Antioxidants Properties of Plants and Dried Herbs

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Hi Folks:

This Jun 2004 study looks to be interesting/helpful.

Blomhoff R.

Institutt for medisinske basalfag, Universitetet i Oslo, Postboks

1046 Blindern, 0316 Oslo. rune.blomhoff@...

BACKGROUND: Oxidative damage is related to the development of several

diseases. An improved antioxidant defence may therefore protect

against these diseases. Recent studies have demonstrated that dietary

plants contain several hundred different antioxidants. MATERIALS AND

METHODS: We have systematically assessed the total amount of

antioxidants in a variety of dietary plants by the " ferric-reducing

ability of plasma " assay, a method that measures the sum total of all

antioxidants above a reference redox potential. RESULTS: Our results

demonstrate that antioxidant levels vary considerably. Plants with

the highest values include dog rose, sour cherry, blackberry,

crowberry, blueberry, walnuts, sunflower seed, pomegranate and

ginger. Among the dried culinary herbs tested, we found very high

levels of antioxidants in oregano, sage, peppermint, garden thyme,

lemon balm, clove, allspice and cinnamon. INTERPRETATION: Our results

are in accordance with studies in experimental animals demonstrating

beneficial effect against age-related neurodegeneration,

carcinogenesis and atherosclerosis after treatment with some of the

most antioxidant-rich foods identified in the present study.

Rodney.