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Frequently Asked Questions

How does the antioxidant capacity of pistachios compare to "superfruits" like acai?

How does the antioxidant capacity of pistachios compare to "superfruits" like acai?

While there are many ways to test the antioxidant capacity of foods and beverages, no specific study has yet compared pistachios to acai berries or juice. Acai, relatively new in the U.S., is currently not part of the USDA Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) database. However 277 other popular foods and beverages are included, including most herbs and spices, fruits and vegetables, and nuts and seeds. In the database, herbs and spices, nuts and seeds, and berries rank among the highest on an ounce-per-ounce comparison. On a per-serving ranking, dark chocolate, berries, and specific varieties of apples rank among the highest in total antioxidant capacity.

In one study that was completed on acai juice, UCLA researchers found that acai-based fruit juice ranked lower than pomegranate juice, red wine, Concord grape juice and blueberry juice in antioxidant content11. Acai was similar in antioxidant capacity as cranberry juice, indicating that the fruit is probably lower than blueberries in antioxidant capacity. For comparison, according to the USDA ORAC database, blueberries contain 6,552 Trolox Equivalents (TE)/100g, and pistachios contain 7,557 TE/100g serving. Based on these data, it is likely that pistachios would have a higher ORAC score than acai based on an ounce-per-ounce comparison.

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References

  1. Rainey CJ, Nyquist, Food Research Inc., Los Angeles. Unpublished original research 2006
  2. Wu et al, "Lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidant capacities of common foods in the United States," J. Agric Food Chemi, 52 (12), 4026-4037
  3. Complete Food and Nutrition Guide, 3rd Edition, Roberta Duyff
  4. Institute of Medicine, 2002a. "Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein and Amino Acids. Washington , DC: National Academy Press
  5. American Chemical Society, "Sunflower seeds, pistachios among top nuts for lowering cholesterol," Dec. 7, 2005.
  6. Wu et al, "Lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidant capacities of common foods in the United States," J. Agric Food Chemi, 52 (12), 4026-4037
  7. Institute of Medicine, 2004. "Dietary Reference Intakes for Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, and Sulfate." Washington DC
  8. "Trans fat share attack on Americans' hearts," USA Today, accessed online Feb. 23, 2007
  9. "Trans Fatty Acids," AmericanHeart.org, accessed online Mar. 5, 2007
  10. Sabate, J. (2003) "Nut consumption and body weight," American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 78(3), 647S-650.
  11. Seeram NP, Aviram M, Zhang Y, Henning SM et al. Comparison of Antioxidant Potency of Commonly Consumed Polyphenol-Rich Beverages in the United States. J Agric Food Chem. 2008 Feb 27;56(4):1415-1422.
  12. Painter, J. The Pistachio Principle: Calorie Reduction Without Calorie Restriction. Weight Management Matters, 6(2),8.
  13. U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. (2007). USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18. Beltsville, MD: USDA Agricultural Research Service, Nutrient Data Laboratory.
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