A March 7 article by Sameh Fahmy notes the mixed opinions on the value of antioxidants, and ACSH's Dr. Ruth Kava weighs in:
Ruth Kava, director of nutrition at the nonprofit American Council on Science and Health, agrees that large doses of antioxidant-rich foods aren't likely to be harmful. But benefits are unclear as well.
She explains that what happens in a test tube or petri dish may be different from what happens in the body. Studies on rats and other animals set the stage for studies in humans but can't substitute for human studies. And a health benefit found in people who eat a lot of a certain food may stem from another factor besides the food. Wine drinkers, for example, tend to be more affluent than others and tend to eat a more nutritious diet overall.
Rather than focusing on a few so-called superfoods, Kava recommends sticking with the basics of good nutrition.
"I think what a consumer should do is eat a very balanced diet with various fruits and vegetables," she says.
