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Evidence-minded articles on the nutrition and health benefits of everyday ingredients — vegetables, fruits, seafood, spices and more.

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All ingredients | Ingredient Health Benefits

All ingredients

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Evidence

All Strong evidence2 Moderate evidence14 Early research11 Nutrition data1

28 ingredients

Fruits — See the category page

Fruits

Early research

Papaya

A phase III, triple-blinded, placebo-controlled trial in 219 patients was published in 2026. Platelet recovery was faster in patients whose counts had fallen from chemotherapy. But what it used was papaya leaf extract, and this entry is about the fruit.

Fruits

Early research

Goji berry

There is a trial in which eating goji berries raised macular pigment optical density. It had 27 participants, no masking, and calls itself a pilot. And the zeaxanthin said to explain the result is not listed in this food's composition table at all.

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Fruits

Moderate evidence

Guava

A seven-month school-feeding trial in India. Hemoglobin rose and anemia fell. But body iron stores, which the trial had named in advance as its primary outcome, did not rise significantly. What happened and what did not have to be read apart.

Fruits

Early research

Mango

A 2026 trial in JAHA improved endothelial function. But the intervention was one avocado and one cup of mango together, and the comparator was low-fat, low-fibre food. How much of it belongs to mango cannot be read from this design.

Fruits

Early research

Figs

Two randomised trials have actually fed people figs, and both improved bowel measures. But in the four-month trial the severity of abdominal pain and CRP did not move, and in the pregnancy trial adding walnut was no better than fig alone.

Fruits

Early research

Dates

Several findings suggest eating dates in late pregnancy shortens labour and reduces the need for induction. But the same paper states that "the overall evidence quality was unacceptable, and risk of bias was high in most studies". And 66.5 g of every 100 g is sugar.

Fruits

Nutrition data

Olives

This site has not yet found a clinical trial that fed people olives themselves. The health evidence we have for olives is largely evidence about olive oil and the Mediterranean diet. What the fruit's own numbers say with confidence: 735 mg of sodium, 10.9 g of fat, and 8 mg of potassium.

Fruits

Early research

Elderberry

A 2021 systematic review that GRADE-assessed five randomised trials concluded it may not reduce the risk of catching a cold. It may shorten duration and severity, but the evidence is uncertain. And raw, it will make you ill.

Fruits

Early research

Mulberry

A meta-analysis of 13 randomised trials found post-meal glucose down at 30, 60 and 90 minutes. But fasting glucose, HbA1c, HOMA-IR and all four lipid measures showed no difference. And what those trials mostly used was the leaf, not the fruit.

Fruits

Early research

Persimmon

A trial feeding 9–15 g a day of persimmon tannin fibre for 12 weeks lowered total cholesterol. But that was not eating persimmons — it was a fibre fraction extracted from unripe fruit, baked into bars. And there is a separate caution about astringent persimmon on an empty stomach.

Fruits

Early research

Pineapple

Bromelain tablets after third-molar surgery improved pain and quality-of-life scores. But there was no evidence for swelling or trismus, and what was given was an isolated enzyme, not fruit. Pineapple's own strengths are 47.8 mg of vitamin C and 0.927 mg of manganese.

Fruits

Moderate evidence

Tart cherries

Twenty people on juice concentrate for seven days slept longer and more efficiently. Thirty-four people on a 500 mg capsule for fourteen days showed no change on any measure.

Fruits

Moderate evidence

Prunes

In a 12-month trial in 235 postmenopausal women, 50 g a day preserved hip bone density and 100 g did not — because 41% of the 100 g group dropped out.

Fruits

Moderate evidence

Watermelon

4,530 µg of lycopene per 100 g — 1.8 times the raw tomato's 2,573 µg. There is a blood pressure analysis too, but it is not an analysis of watermelon.

Fruits

Strong evidence

Cranberry

A Cochrane review of 50 randomised trials found a 30 % lower risk of UTI. But the effect appeared in some groups and not others.

Fruits

Strong evidence

Grapefruit

Grapefruit blocks the gut enzyme (CYP3A4) that breaks down many drugs. Blood levels of some medicines rise, and one glass lasts more than a day.

Fruits

Moderate evidence

Pear

3.6 g of fibre in 42 kcal per 100 g. A trial of Korean pear juice did find hangover scores 16–21 % lower.

Fruits

Moderate evidence

Grapes

Grape polyphenols lowered systolic blood pressure by 1.48 mmHg. Every resveratrol trial used a supplement.

Fruits

Moderate evidence

Strawberry

Eight berries cover your vitamin C for the day. But the randomised trial that tried to lower cholesterol with strawberries failed on its target measure.

Fruits

Early research

Aronia (chokeberry)

Aronia sits at the very top of fruits for anthocyanin content. The problem is that it is too astringent to eat plain.

Fruits

Early research

Jujube

Fresh jujube beats orange on vitamin C. Dried, most of that is gone and what remains is concentrated sugar.

Fruits

Moderate evidence

Pomegranate

Its antioxidant capacity really is high. The hormonal marketing, though, runs well ahead of the evidence.

Fruits

Moderate evidence

Kiwi

Kiwi is one of very few fruits with trial evidence for improving bowel movements at two a day. It also carries a protein-digesting enzyme.

Fruits

Moderate evidence

Orange

Everyone knows about the vitamin C. Less known is that the white pith people pick off carries the fibre and flavonoids.