Eating more fruits and vegetables for 3 months makes the level of alpha-carotene—a plant nutrient—in the blood go up by 50% in people who didn’t eat much before.

Scientific Claim

Increasing daily fruit and vegetable intake from approximately 3 to 8.4 portions for 12 weeks causes a 50% increase in plasma α-carotene concentration in healthy adults aged 39–58 with low baseline intake, indicating improved intake and absorption of this carotenoid.

Original Statement

“Plasma vitamin C (35%), folate (15%) and certain carotenoids [α-carotene (50%) and β-carotene (70%) and lutein/zeaxanthin (70%)] were significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the intervention group.”

From study:Effect of increasing fruit and vegetable intake by dietary intervention on nutritional biomarkers and attitudes to dietary change: a randomised trial

Evidence Quality Assessment

Claim Status

appropriately stated

Study Design Support

Design supports claim

Appropriate Language Strength

definitive

Can make definitive causal claims

Assessment Explanation

The RCT design with randomization and control group supports causal claims. The 50% increase is statistically significant and measured objectively, justifying definitive language.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Effect of increasing fruit and vegetable intake by dietary intervention on nutritional biomarkers and attitudes to dietary change: a randomised trial

Randomized Controlled Trial

Human

People who ate more fruits and veggies for 12 weeks saw their α-carotene levels jump by 50%, which means their bodies absorbed more of this healthy compound from the food they ate.

Contradicting (0)

No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

Effect of increasing fruit and vegetable intake by dietary intervention on nutritional biomarkers and attitudes to dietary change: a randomised trial

Score: 61

DOI: 10.1007/s00394-017-1469-0

Similar Assertions

When people eat a lot more fruits and veggies for 3 months, the levels of two important plant pigments—beta-carotene and lutein—in their blood jump by 70%, showing their body is absorbing more of these beneficial compounds.

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Eating more fruits and veggies for 3 months raises the level of folate (a B vitamin) in the blood by 15% in people who used to eat very little of them, helping their body make healthy cells.

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When people who don't eat much fruit or veggies start eating about 8 servings a day for 3 months, the level of vitamin C in their blood goes up by 35%, meaning their body gets more of this important nutrient.

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Eating more fruits and veggies for 3 months doesn’t lower blood pressure, cholesterol, or sugar levels—or make arteries less stiff—in healthy people who were already eating poorly.

72%