Home · The Evidence Index
The Evidence Index
Every answer, ratedEvery food and method we've assessed, rated by the strength of the human evidence — and linked to the full answer. Sort by evidence, or filter to the topic you came for.
About these ratings. Every answer listed here links to a published, fully-sourced page. Topics still being written, and any with unverified figures, are deliberately held back until we've read the source first-hand — so this table only ever shows what we can stand behind.
Topic
Rating
Key
Strong — consistent human trials
Moderate — some human evidence
Emerging — early, limited evidence
Not supported — trials don't support it
51 answers
| Question | Topic | Evidence ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| How much fibre should you eat? LiveAt least 25–30 g/day from whole plant foods — highest vs lowest intake linked to ~16% lower mortality and ~39% lower CVD death (10-yr cohort); whole foods, not powders. | Heart | Strong |
| How much fruit and veg should you eat? LiveUp to ~800 g/day (≈10 portions) — each +200 g/day linked to ~10% lower mortality, plus less heart disease, stroke and cancer (95 studies); whole, not juice; association. | Heart | Strong |
| Is sauerkraut good for your gut? LiveEmerging — ~100 g/day shifted a few gut species and (pasteurised) raised short-chain fatty acids, but the microbiome was "rather resilient"; one small IBS pilot; not proven. Mind the salt. | Heart | Emerging |
| Do mushrooms lower triglycerides? LiveWeak signal only — whole mushrooms modestly lowered triglycerides (and maybe hs-CRP) but not cholesterol, glucose or BP, from mostly poor-quality studies; linked to lower mortality (association). Whole food, not extracts. | Heart | Moderate |
| Is kimchi good for weight and metabolism? LiveIn moderation — 1–3 servings/day linked to lower obesity and better lipids (115k adults + small RCTs); but J-shaped (more isn't better) and high in salt. | Heart | Moderate |
| Does green tea lower cholesterol? LiveModestly — LDL and total cholesterol ~4.5 mg/dL lower across 31 RCTs; but most trials used green-tea extract, not the brewed cup; no HDL/triglyceride effect. | Heart | Moderate |
| Is dark chocolate good for you? LiveYes for flavanol-rich cocoa — better BP, insulin and (in older adults) thinking across RCTs + a 19-trial meta; modest skin UV protection. Not a sugary bar. | Heart | Strong |
| Is coffee good for you? LiveWithin usual amounts, yes — ~3–4 cups/day linked to lower mortality (RR 0.83) and heart disease across 201 meta-analyses; association, filtered, limit in pregnancy. | Heart | Strong |
| Does beetroot juice lower blood pressure? LiveYes — systolic ~4–5 mmHg across RCTs, clearest in high BP; diastolic effect small and inconsistent. | Heart | Strong |
| Do cruciferous vegetables lower blood pressure? LiveYes, modestly — ~300g/day of broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage & kale lowered 24-hour systolic BP by ~2.5 mmHg vs other veg in a well-run crossover trial (older adults, mildly raised BP); backed by cohorts linking cruciferous veg to lower heart-disease death. Small, short; cholesterol/inflammation unchanged. | Heart | Moderate |
| Do oats lower cholesterol? LiveYes — ~3 g oat beta-glucan/day lowered LDL ~5–7% across dozens of RCTs; modest but consistent. | Heart | Strong |
| Does pomegranate juice lower blood pressure? LiveYes — systolic ~5 mmHg across 14 juice RCTs, clearest at ~1 cup/day in raised BP; diastolic less consistent. | Heart | Strong |
| Do nuts lower cholesterol? LiveYes — ~30 g/day tree nuts lowered LDL a few mg/dL across 61 trials; modest, lipid-only (no cognition benefit). | Heart | Strong |
| Does flaxseed lower cholesterol and blood pressure? LiveYes to both — ground flaxseed lowered LDL (more in women) and BP (most in hypertension); not oil, not for hot flashes. | Heart | Strong |
| Does barley lower cholesterol? LiveYes — ~80 g barley flakes/day (beta-glucan) lowered LDL ~6.5% in a controlled trial; oats' twin, modest, food-based. | Heart | Strong |
| Do beans and legumes lower cholesterol? LiveYes — ~1 serving/day pulses lowered LDL ~5% across 26 RCTs; also improve blood sugar in type 2 diabetes. | Heart | Strong |
| Does olive oil lower blood pressure? LiveModestly — EVOO lowered systolic BP ~2.5 mmHg in healthy adults; a large review links olive oil to lower BP. Small effect. | Heart | Strong |
| Do blueberries lower blood pressure? LiveVessel function improves consistently; systolic BP lowered in healthy older adults (Wood 2023) but not in every trial. | Heart | Moderate |
| Are eggs good for your eyes? LiveA good source, mixed results — eggs deliver bioavailable lutein/zeaxanthin; enriched egg yolks raised macular pigment + vision over a year in early AMD, but ordinary eggs raised blood levels without always changing eye pigment. Not proven prevention. | Brain | Moderate |
| Do goji berries help your eyes? LivePromising but early — ~28 g goji most days raised macular pigment (an AMD-risk marker) in a small pilot; within-group only, didn't beat a supplement, surrogate not vision; warfarin caution. | Brain | Moderate |
| Is fish good for your brain? LiveLikely — higher fish intake linked to ~18% lower cognitive impairment/dementia (up to ~30% at 150 g/day) + lower mortality; association; eat fish, not fish-oil pills. | Brain | Moderate |
| Are leafy greens good for your brain? LiveLikely — ~1 serving/day linked to slower cognitive decline in older adults ("11 years younger", Morris 2018); association, not BP (RCT null); whole greens, not powders. | Brain | Moderate |
| Does saffron help depression? LiveYes for mild-to-moderate depression — ~30 mg/day saffron reduced symptoms vs placebo and matched fluoxetine in short trials; not a cure or a substitute for care. | Brain | Strong |
| Do blueberries help memory? LiveImproved immediate word recall in healthy older adults (Wood 2023); broader cognition evidence mixed; no dementia claim. | Brain | Moderate |
| Does yogurt lower your risk of type 2 diabetes? LiveModest link — higher yogurt intake tied to ~9% lower type 2 diabetes risk per 50 g/day (borderline) across 14 cohorts; association, needs trials; plain, not sugary pots. | Blood sugar | Moderate |
| Does apple cider vinegar work? LiveModestly — vinegar lowered glucose and HbA1c a little, with small weight (~1 kg) and systolic BP (~3 mmHg) drops; no lipid effect; it's vinegar broadly, not uniquely ACV; dilute it. | Blood sugar | Moderate |
| Does cinnamon lower blood sugar? LiveFasting glucose only — down ~24 mg/dL in type 2 diabetes across 10 RCTs, but HbA1c unchanged and results varied; use Ceylon not cassia (coumarin); not a treatment. | Blood sugar | Moderate |
| Are strawberries good for blood sugar and cholesterol? LiveYes in prediabetes — ~2.5 servings/day improved glucose, HbA1c, total cholesterol and inflammation (RCT); no blood-pressure effect; whole fruit, not extract. | Blood sugar | Moderate |
| Does fenugreek lower blood sugar? LiveYes in type 2 diabetes — fasting glucose ~19 mg/dL, HbA1c ~0.95% lower; large dose; interacts with diabetes medication. | Blood sugar | Strong |
| Does eating collagen build skin collagen? LiveEaten collagen is digested to amino acids; skin gains trace to peptide supplements, not food. | Skin | Not supported |
| Collagen drinks vs collagen foods: are they the same? LiveNot the same — the skin trials tested peptide supplements, not bone broth; and that evidence is uneven (hydration yes, elasticity not significant). We recommend neither. | Skin | Not supported |
| What food can and can't do for wrinkles LiveModest help — polyphenols and healthy fats gave small, bias-free wrinkle reductions; no food erases them, and the big collagen number is a supplement. | Skin | Moderate |
| Does ginger help period pain? LiveYes for primary dysmenorrhea — ~1.5 g/day ginger powder eased pain vs placebo and roughly matched painkillers (8-trial meta); effect modest; whole spice. | Perimenopause | Strong |
| Perimenopause brain fog: is it real, and is it permanent? LiveReal but usually temporary — a subtle dip in processing speed and verbal memory that rebounded after the transition (SWAN, 2,362 women); no food fix. | Perimenopause | Moderate |
| Does strength training protect bone in menopause? LiveYes in postmenopausal women — higher-intensity resistance raised hip/spine BMD (RCT + 55-trial meta); not shown in the transition. | Perimenopause | Strong |
| Do prunes protect bone density? LiveYes in postmenopausal women — ~50 g/day preserved hip BMD over a year (vs loss with none); prevents loss not rebuilds; industry-funded. | Perimenopause | Strong |
| Does cranberry prevent recurrent UTIs? LiveYes in women prone to them — ~26% fewer recurrences (Cochrane, RR 0.74); prevention not treatment; not for elderly/pregnancy. | Perimenopause | Strong |
| Is milk good for muscle and bone? LiveYes, sensibly — milk + resistance training built more muscle/strength than carbohydrate; dairy linked to higher bone density (fracture benefit modest). Needs the training; not uniquely required. | Perimenopause | Moderate |
| Do cottage cheese, Greek yogurt and eggs build muscle? LiveYes as quality protein — Greek yogurt + 12 wk training beat a carb snack for strength/muscle/fat-free mass; but needs resistance training, and no powder required. | Perimenopause | Moderate |
| How much protein to keep muscle after menopause? Live~1.0–1.2 g/kg/day (above the 0.8 guideline) plus strength training preserves muscle; food not whey; protein alone is modest. | Perimenopause | Strong |
| Do soy foods stop hot flashes? LiveNot for soy foods — no clean whole-food trial shows it; the effect belongs to isoflavone supplements. Eat soy for cholesterol instead. | Perimenopause | Not supported |
| Can any food "flush out" microplastics? LiveNo human study supports a dietary "flush"; exposure-reduction is the supported route. | Microplastics | Not supported |
| Does chamomile tea help you sleep? LiveModest, mixed — better self-reported sleep in a weak elderly trial, but a rigorous insomnia RCT found no measured-sleep effect; mostly extract not tea. A ritual, not a proven aid. | Methods | Moderate |
| Does tart cherry juice help you sleep? LiveModest, mixed — melatonin-containing juice cut night waking in insomnia and raised melatonin in some trials, but subjective sleep often unchanged and evidence limited (7-study review). A food, not a pill. | Methods | Moderate |
| Is sauna good for your heart? LivePromising — 4–7 sauna sessions/week linked to ~50% lower cardiovascular death (HR 0.48) in a Finnish cohort; but one population of Finnish men, and RCTs don't confirm a resting-BP effect. | Methods | Moderate |
| Does time-restricted eating (16:8) work? LiveYes for blood sugar — a 6–10h eating window improved fasting glucose, insulin and HOMA-IR in non-diabetic adults even without cutting calories (11 RCTs); modest BP if high; no cholesterol effect. | Methods | Strong |
| Does meditation help anxiety and depression? LiveModestly — structured mindfulness improved anxiety (ES ~0.38), depression (~0.30) and pain (moderate certainty); not shown better than exercise or medication; not a substitute for care. | Methods | Moderate |
| Does social connection help you live longer? LiveStrongly linked — stronger social relationships tied to ~50% higher survival odds (OR 1.50) across 148 studies/308,849 people, on par with quitting smoking; quality over living arrangements; association. | Methods | Strong |
| How many steps a day do you need? LiveFewer than 10,000 — mortality falls with more steps but plateaus ~6–8k (60+)/~8–10k (under 60); volume beats speed; 10k is a marketing myth (47,471 adults). | Methods | Strong |
| Does exercise reduce visceral (belly) fat? LiveYes — moderate-to-high-intensity aerobic/HIIT cut visceral fat in overweight adults, even without dieting; no spot reduction. | Methods | Strong |
| How much sleep do you need? Live~7–8 h — both short and long sleep linked to higher mortality (U-shaped) across 1.4M adults; long sleep is a marker of illness, not a reason to sleep less. | Methods | Strong |
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Ratings reflect the strength of the human evidence for a specific claim, not whether it might work for you — see how we read the evidence. Not medical advice. AntiAgingGreens never sells or recommends supplements.