Eating a healthy, balanced diet for about three months can boost your body's natural antioxidants more than taking special nut supplements, especially if you have metabolic syndrome.

What we've found so far is that a prudent diet may improve antioxidant levels in adults with metabolic syndrome more than nut supplements. The evidence we've reviewed leans toward this conclusion, based on the data we’ve analyzed to date. Our analysis of the available research shows that eating a healthy, balanced diet for about three months can increase the body’s natural antioxidant defenses more effectively than taking nut supplements in people with metabolic syndrome [1]. This suggests that whole-food approaches might offer benefits beyond what isolated supplements provide. We don’t yet know which specific components of the diet are responsible, but the overall dietary pattern appears to play a key role. So far, we’ve reviewed 42.0 supporting assertions and 0 refuting assertions on this topic [1]. While the evidence we’ve seen points in one direction, we recognize that our understanding is still developing. We’re not claiming this is the final word—just what the current evidence suggests based on what we’ve examined so far. It’s also important to note that we cannot say whether nut supplements are ineffective—only that, in comparison, a balanced diet appears to have a stronger association with improved antioxidant status in this group. We don’t yet have enough data to determine how different types of diets or supplements might compare over longer periods or in different populations. The takeaway: For adults with metabolic syndrome, focusing on a healthy, balanced diet over relying on nut supplements might be a more effective way to support your body’s antioxidant levels over time. We’ll continue updating our analysis as new evidence becomes available.