Analysis Version
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History
Back to Study: Effect of increasing fruit and vegetable intake by...
causal
Analysis v1
61
Pro
0
Against

Even though eating more fruits and veggies boosts certain nutrients, it doesn’t make the body’s overall ability to fight off cell damage from oxidation any stronger in healthy people.

Scientific Claim

Increasing daily fruit and vegetable intake from approximately 3 to 8.4 portions for 12 weeks has no significant effect on plasma antioxidant capacity (TEAC, HORAC, FRAP) in healthy adults aged 39–58 with low baseline intake, indicating that nutrient increases do not translate to measurable systemic antioxidant enhancement.

Original Statement

“There were no significant changes in antioxidant capacity, DNA damage and markers of vascular health.”

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 multiple time points and validated biomarkers allows definitive conclusions about lack of effect. The authors correctly state no significant changes, avoiding overinterpretation.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

61
61

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

Even though people ate more fruits and veggies and their blood had more of those good nutrients, their overall antioxidant levels didn’t go up — so eating more didn’t make their bodies more antioxidant-rich in a measurable way.

Contradicting (0)

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

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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.

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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 help protect the DNA in blood cells from damage—even when those cells are stressed in the lab.

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