Free radicals and the damage they cause in the body on a cellular level, have become a hot topic in recent years. The oxidative deterioration we face in modern life like stress, pollutants in the environment including those found in our food and water, various diseases and illnesses, and even DNA damage, all take part in the slow yet steady breakdown of our health.

Thankfully, there are powerful antioxidants available that help protect the body and its cells from oxidative stress by deflecting the damage caused by free radicals.

One of the most healing properties of essential oils is that they can remove free radicals from the body. This is because they contain high amounts of antioxidants which are substances that can neutralize the damaging effects of free radicals in our everyday lives and safely eliminate them.

You may already know that fresh fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants and that they are essential to consume for vibrant health and longevity. Essential oils also contain antioxidants but in a much more concentrated form.

The antioxidant potential of certain foods and essential oils are listed as their ORAC rating or Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity.

The ORAC scale was developed by USDA researchers at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts in order to measure both the time and degree of free radical inhibition.

To give you an idea of the immense difference between the ORAC rating of common foods vs essential oils, I have included a comparison chart below from one of my favorite books, The Chemistry of Essential Oils:

You can see by just glancing at the chart that essential oils are far more potent in antioxidants than fruits and vegetables, though that certainly doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be topping up your consumption of fresh produce!

Essential oils don’t contain any nutrients, which you can read more about here, so be careful not to assume that they are superior in every way.

They are superior, however, when it comes to antioxidants and using them to protect the body from oxidative damage, especially when applied topically to the skin. This is why essential oils are popular additions to anti-aging skin care products.

The Complete List of ORAC Ratings for Essential Oils

Below is a list of 75 essential oils and their ORAC rating per 100 grams or µTE/100 g.

1. Clove – 1,078,700
2. Myrrh – 379,800
3. Anise – 333,700
4. Citronella – 312,000
5. Coriander – 298,300
6. Fennel – 238,400
7. Clary Sage – 221,000
8. German Chamomile – 218,600
9. Cedarwood – 169,000
10. Rose – 158,100
11. Nutmeg – 158,100
12. Marjoram – 151,000
13. Melissa – 139,905
14. Ylang Ylang – 134,300
15. Palmarosa – 130,000
16. Rosewood – 113,200
17. Manuka – 106,200
18. Wintergreen – 101,800
19. Geranium – 101,000
20. Ginger – 99,300
21. Bay Laurel – 98,900
22. Eucalyptus Citriodora – 83,000
23. Cumin – 82,400
24. Black Pepper – 79,700
25. Vetiver – 74,300
26. Petitgrain – 73,600
27. Blue Cypress – 73,100
28. Citrus Hystrix/Combava/Kaffir Lime – 69,200
29. Douglas Fir – 69,000
30. Blue Tansy – 68,800
31. Goldenrod – 61,900
32. Melaleuca ericifolia/Rosalina – 61,100
33. Blue Yarrow – 55,900
34. Spikenard – 54,800
35. Basil – 54,000
36. Patchouli – 49,400
37. White Fir – 47,900
38. Tarragon – 37,900
39. Melaleuca Cajeputi/Cajeput – 37,600
40. Peppermint – 37,300
41. Cardamom – 36,500
42. Dill – 35,600
43. Celery Seed – 30,300
44. Fleabane, Canadian – 26,700
45. Mandarin – 26,500
46. Lime – 26,200
47. Galbanum – 26,200
48. Myrtle – 25,400
49. Cypress – 24,300
50. Grapefruit – 22,600
51. Hyssop – 20,900
52. Balsam Fir – 20,500
53. Melaleuca Quinquenervia/Niaouli – 18,600
54. Thyme – 15,960
55. Oregano – 15,300
56. Cassia – 15,170
57. Sage – 14,800
58. Mountain Savory – 11,300
59. Cinnamon Bark – 10,340
60. Tsuga – 7,100
61. Valerian – 6,200
62. Cistus – 3,860
63. Eucalyptus Globulus – 2,410
64. Orange – 1,890
65. Lemongrass – 1,780
66. Helichrysum – 1,740
67. Ravintsara – 890
68. Lemon – 660
69. Frankincense Carteri – 630
70. Spearmint – 540
71. Lavender – 360
72. Rosemary – 330
73. Juniper – 250
74. Roman Chamomile – 240
75. Sandalwood – 160

27 Common Essential Oils With Unknown ORAC Values

Below is a list of common essential oils that do not yet have a listed ORAC rating.

I’ve included them so that you can see them all at a glance and not have to wait for a response on what their ORAC rating is – the short answer is they don’t have one – yet!

1. Angelica
2. Bergamot
3. Carrot Seed
4. Cedar, Western Red
5. Copaiba
6. Davana
7. Dorado Azul
8. Elemi
9. Eucalyptus Blue
10. Eucalyptus Dives
11. Eucalyptus Polybractea
12. Eucalyptus Radiata
13. Frankincense, Sacred
14. Jasmine
15. Lavandin
16. Ledum
17. Melaleuca Alternifolia/Tea Tree
18. Mugwort
19. Neroli
20. Ocotea
21. Palo Santo
22. Pine
23. Sage, Spanish
24. Spruce
25. Tangerine
26. Tansy, Idaho
27. White lotus

What have been your favorite uses for antioxidant essential oils with high ORAC ratings? Please share in the comments below!

You may also enjoy reading:

Essential Oil Quick Usage Guide
Essential Oil Profiles and Therapeutic Uses
Essential Oils for Stress
Could Herbs be Your Answer to Stress Relief?

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