Recent research has demonstrated relationship between the aging process and the damaging effects of free radicals on tissue cells, and the beneficial impact on blood plasma antioxidant capacity of the increased daily intake of antioxidant-rich foods. The Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) method to quantify the antioxidant property was developed at USDA several years ago, and has since then been used to rank (ORAC units/100 g) common foods. Prunes (5,770), raisins (2,830), and blueberries (2,400) top the list, trailed by such health food industry favourites as kale (1,770), spinach (1,260) and Brussels sprouts (980).

In a recent work by Dr. Saska of Louisiana State University, the ORAC analysis was performed on a series of sugarcane products, with the results ranging from some 5000 (ORAC units/100g dried solid) to over 35,000, indicating strong antioxidant properties, comparable, if not superior, to those previously reported for the top-antioxidant-rich fruits. USDA scientists  have recommended an intake of 3000 to 5000 ORAC units/ per day.

Antioxidants in concentrated sugarcane extracts obtained from cane juice,  using Polymeric Adsorbents for extraction, was found by Dr. Saska  and Dr. Chou  to contain over one million ORAC units/100g dried solid.

In two Japanese studies, published in 2001 and 2002 Sugar Industries Technologists Technical proceedings, sugarcane extracts are found to have many other beneficial physiological functions  as shown in the attachment.

The sugarcane extracts/antioxidants can be obtained by using Polymeric Adsorbents in the production of sugar.

last updated 09/14/08