Mixed
Focusing on isolated nutrients for chronic disease prevention is counterproductive and potentially harmful, whereas whole food patterns (food synergy) provide superior health outcomes by leveraging complex, non-random mixtures of constituents.
Stop focusing on isolated nutrient supplements for chronic disease prevention. Instead, prioritize whole food patterns like the Mediterranean or Prudent diets. Look at the food matrix: saturated fat from dairy behaves differently than from meat. If you are not deficient in a specific nutrient (like Vitamin B12 or Folate for neural tube defects), adding isolated supplements may be ineffective or harmful. Focus on eating diverse, whole foods rather than trying to optimize individual chemical compounds.
It appears that the focus on nutrients rather than foods is in many ways counterproductive. This observation is the basis for the argument that nutrition research should focus more strongly on foods and on dietary patterns.
Why this rating
The paper cites robust epidemiological data (e.g., CARDIA, MESA, SEAD studies) and meta-analyses of RCTs showing harm from supplements, though it argues RCTs are less suitable for food patterns.
Source
Food synergy: the key to a healthy diet
David R. Jacobs et al. · Proceedings of The Nutrition Society · 2013
DOI 10.1017/s0029665112003011
Related findings · Mixed
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