Value of antioxidant capacity as relevant assessment tool for “health benefits” of fruit - understated or inflated?

Abstract

Consumption of fruit and vegetables is considered to be an inherent part of a healthy diet, but more so since plant antioxidants, and in particular polyphenols, have been linked through in vivo and epidemiological studies with positive health outcomes.1–3 As a result, polyphenols have been elevated to “lifespan essentials”, because scientific evidence indicated that they are needed by humans to achieve a full lifespan by reducing the risk of a range of chronic diseases.4 No Dietary Reference Intake values exist for polyphenols, however, it has been suggested that their target intake value should be based on the total polyphenol content provided by the “5-a-day” portions of fruit and vegetables recommendation by the World Health Organisation