Dietary polyphenolic intake from acorns and acorn meal

Antioxidant consumption can increase through strategic food choices. Acorns could contribute to those strategic choices. We surveyed antioxidant content in a variety of acorns from the southeastern United States. The phenolic content of Quercus velutina prior to leaching was 39.43.6 mg GAE/g and of Quercus alba was 27.4.3 mg GAE/g. After 5 leaching stages, the phenolic content of Q. velutina was 12.3.8 mg GAE/g and of Q. alba was 10.8.7 mg GAE/g. After milling, the phenolic value for Q. velutina was 39.94.5 mg GAE/g and for Q. alba was 6.6.1 mg GAE/g. A spice cookie made with all-purpose wheat flour contained 2.7.1 mg GAE/g. When red oak acorn meal was substituted, the cookie contained 9.63.3 mg GAE/g, and when substituted with white oak acorn meal contained 4.2.4 mg GAE/g. Ingredient interactions influenced the phenolic content. Acorns and acorn products can be a strategic method of increasing polyphenolic intake.