Not established
Claims that are not established
Widely repeated statements that human research does not support, collected in one place. These are not things this site deleted — they are things it kept and labelled.
80 entries marked not established · 75 ingredients
Why keep them rather than delete them
Drop an entry because the evidence is missing and the person who searched for that claim leaves with no answer and looks elsewhere. So the entry stays, with a note on how far it has actually been confirmed.
Most of what is gathered here falls into a few patterns: an effect seen in cells or animals carried across to people, the presence of a compound turned into a claim of benefit, or a traditional use repeated without ever being tested.
How this grade is assigned
We mark a claim not established when we could not find human research on it, or when the research we found does not support it. It does not mean the claim has been disproved. It means it has not yet been confirmed.
If confirming research appears, we raise the grade and update the revision date. If research appears that contradicts the claim, we write that result into the article.
Vegetables23
- OnionBlood sugar and lipids are not confirmed
- Bitter melonA plausible mechanism for blood sugar exists
- KalePlenty of lutein, but the eye evidence is not established
- Bell pepperCold prevention was not confirmed
- AsparagusThe hangover and diuretic claims are not established
- ArtichokeThe claims about digestion and the liver — not established
- Daikon radishThe "aids digestion" claim — the enzyme is real, the evidence is another matter
- EggplantTwo randomised trials — both matched placebo
- Eggplant"Eggplant soaks up oil, so it absorbs and removes cholesterol" — that is not what happens
- Soybean sprout"Aspartic acid cures a hangover" — no evidence was found
- Bamboo shootsThey contain cyanogenic glycosides — boiling is not optional
- Lettuce"Don't eat lettuce the night before an exam" — the evidence makes that an overreaction
- CeleryThe celery juice cleanse, and an allergy few people here expect
- Oyster mushroomThe cholesterol claim — the best-designed trial found nothing
- WatercressClaims about cancer, detox and weight loss are unverified
- CucumberThree clinical trials — and all of them used extracts, not cucumber
- CucumberWeight loss, detox, puffiness, skin — the common claims
- Chicory rootGut bacteria, weight, blood sugar — and the side effect you must know about
- Green peasPeas did not lower LDL — beans, in the same trial, did
- Green peasLutein 2,480 µg — but the largest trial's primary analysis failed
- OkraOn "okra water" — and the cautions
- Jerusalem artichokeGas — the most practical thing to know about this tuber
- Lotus rootTraditional uses — and what is not confirmed
Fruits17
- OrangeHesperidin remains a mixed picture
- Aronia (chokeberry)The blood pressure result went the other way
- GrapesResveratrol — every trial used a supplement
- CranberryThere is no evidence for treating an infection you already have
- PineappleThe digestion claim, and why your tongue stings
- Elderberry"Boosts immunity" — no evidence was found for that sentence
- PersimmonAstringent persimmon on an empty stomach — on diospyrobezoar
- Mulberry"Good for the eyes", "stops hair going grey" — no evidence was identified
- Dates"It's natural sugar, so it's fine" — with diabetes that is a different conversation
- OlivesThe evidence for olives is evidence for olive oil — the two should not be merged
- Olives"Black olives are the riper ones" is not always true
- Figs"Fig enzymes aid digestion" — tenderising meat is a different claim
- MangoMango skin carries the same compound family as poison ivy
- GuavaThe blood sugar and diarrhoea claims are ones this site could not verify
- Goji berryClaims about vision, immunity and the liver are unverified — and a warfarin warning
- PapayaThe phase III trial of leaf extract — and why it does not carry across to the fruit
- PapayaThe digestion claim — and warnings about allergy and pregnancy
Seafood6
- KelpThyroid cancer prevention is not established for kelp
- ClamsNo clinical trials — and the season matters
- MusselsShellfish toxin is a question of season and water — read this
- OctopusTaurine and fatigue — no clinical trial has fed people octopus
- Spirulina"57.5 g of protein" and "vitamin B12" — two numbers to be careful with
- Cod"It's fish, so omega-3" — cod has a tenth of salmon's
Herbs & spices5
Tea & drinks5
Nuts & seeds7
- WalnutThe cognition research is still open
- Chia seedsWeight loss and the "superfood" claims are not established
- Cashew"Nuts are good for cholesterol" — that does not transfer to cashews
- HazelnutHazelnut coffee contains no hazelnut
- Macadamia nutsThe weight worry the evidence answers, and the danger it confirms — for dogs
- Pine nutsIf everything tastes metallic a few days later — that is pine mouth
- Pecans"The most antioxidant nut" — the ranking's own source was withdrawn
Grains & legumes11
- Black soybeanIt contains isoflavones
- QuinoaClaims about blood sugar and weight are not established
- BuckwheatThe rutin claims are not established
- RyeRye contains gluten — and a word on sourdough
- Adzuki bean"Adzuki reduces swelling" — the potassium is real, the next step is not
- Doenjang"It's fermented, so it's good for your gut" — boiling leaves nothing alive
- Soy milkThe soy drink you buy is probably not the soy drink in this table
- CheonggukjangThe trials fed tablets, not stew — and a word about warfarin
- AmaranthClaims about blood pressure, cholesterol and weight are unverified
- PsylliumWeight loss and blood sugar — and the rules you must follow
- Red yeast riceSafety — what happened in Japan in 2024