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The Complete List of ORAC Ratings for Essential Oils

by Tash 6 Comments

*This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Click here to read my affiliate disclosure.

The Complete List of Orac Ratings for Essential Oils

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:

ORAC ratings

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?

The Complete List of ORAC Ratings for Essential Oils - This is a list of the most antioxidant essential oils.

    This post contains affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Please read my full disclosure and disclaimer.      
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Filed Under: Essential Oil Basics Tagged With: ORAC

About Tash

Tash Penman, Founder of There's an EO For That!, has a background in herbal and essential oil studies at The Herbal Academy and Aromahead Institute. Theresaneoforthat.com is a culmination of her passion and research regarding essential oils and their use for mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing. Read More…

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Comments

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  2. Linda S says

    February 24, 2020 at 12:58 pm

    Is topical application better than ingestion for anti-oxidant absorption?

    Reply
  3. Laurie says

    July 17, 2019 at 7:43 am

    Thanks for all the research you do. Do you have a list or can you recommend a good blend of high rated ORAC that I can put into a body lotion?

    Reply
  4. Melanie Pierce says

    December 28, 2018 at 10:46 am

    I’m pretty new to the EO scene and am finding your site invaluable. I read above that the antioxidant benefits are best received topically. What about when diffused? Thanks.

    Reply
    • Tash says

      January 21, 2019 at 3:20 pm

      Hi, Melanie!

      I don’t think you will get the full benefits if diffused. Topical application really is best for getting all those good antioxidants into your skin 🙂

      Reply
  5. Anita Machlin says

    November 12, 2018 at 6:31 am

    What a great list for those of us who want to select according to strength. I get overwhelmed because so many oils are ORAC I don’t know which to select.
    Your site is fantastic! And thanks too for listing some blends. So useful

    Reply
    • Tash says

      November 12, 2018 at 10:51 am

      Thank you, Anita! 🙂

      Reply

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About Tash

Tash Penman, Founder of There's an EO For That!, has a background in herbal and essential oil studies at The Herbal Academy and Aromahead Institute. theresaneoforthat.com is a culmination of her passion and research regarding essential oils and their use for mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing. Read More…

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