Ingredients

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Ayurvedic herb increasingly studied in modern clinical trials for stress, cortisol, and sleep. Real signal across multiple small trials, but trial size, duration, and extract standardization keep confidence well short of "strong."

Ingredient

An oil pressed from the pulp of the avocado fruit, predominantly monounsaturated fat — a similar fatty-acid profile rationale to olive oil. Real, well-documented property: a comparatively high smoke point relative to extra virgin olive oil, which is genuinely relevant for high-heat cooking methods.

Ingredient

Two real, botanically distinct species are both sold as 'cinnamon': Ceylon (Cinnamomum verum, sometimes called 'true cinnamon') and Cassia (Cinnamomum cassia, the more common, less expensive variety in most grocery stores). Real, well-documented difference: Cassia cinnamon contains substantially more coumarin, a compound with real, documented liver-toxicity risk at high, sustained intake, while Ceylon contains only trace amounts.

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Compound essential to mitochondrial energy production; also an antioxidant. Statins are well-documented to lower endogenous CoQ10, motivating its most-studied use case (statin-associated muscle symptoms) alongside heart-failure-adjunct research.

Ingredient

A real, well-studied source of caffeine (a real central nervous system stimulant) and real polyphenol antioxidants (notably chlorogenic acids). Coffee is one of the most extensively studied dietary substances, with a large real observational research base.

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The most abundant structural protein in the body, providing structure to skin, joints, and connective tissue. Oral collagen supplements are digested and broken down into amino acids and smaller peptides like any dietary protein before absorption.

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One of the most heavily studied supplement ingredients, with consistent evidence for exercise performance (short-duration, high-intensity effort) and strength/lean-mass gains alongside resistance training. Cognitive/neuroprotective effects are an active but far less mature research area.

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A complete-protein whole food; the yolk contains dietary cholesterol, fat-soluble vitamins, and choline.

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Charged minerals essential for fluid balance, nerve signaling, and muscle contraction, obtained through diet and lost through sweat, urine, and illness-related fluid loss.

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Major dietary source of EPA/DHA omega-3 fatty acids. Robust evidence for triglyceride reduction; mixed evidence for cardiovascular event prevention in general (non-high-risk) populations. Overlaps substantially with the existing omega-3 catalog entry — relationship flagged for Research Ops, not yet resolved.

Ingredient

Real, well-documented mechanism: crushing or chopping raw garlic activates the enzyme alliinase, which converts alliin into allicin — a real, unstable sulfur compound responsible for garlic's characteristic odor and much of its studied bioactivity. Cooking heat degrades allicin, which is why real preparation method (crushed and rested before cooking) affects the compound's real yield.

Ingredient

Contains real, well-documented bioactive compounds — gingerol (fresh) and shogaol (dried/cooked, formed as gingerol degrades with heat/drying) — studied primarily for real, comparatively well-established anti-nausea effects.

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Widely used herbicide active ingredient; relevant as an exposure/contaminant intelligence entity (not a dietary supplement claim).

Ingredient

Made from the same plant as black tea, but minimally oxidized during processing, which preserves a real, well-documented higher concentration of catechins — a class of polyphenol antioxidants, most notably EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate). Green tea also contains real, moderate caffeine content, generally lower per cup than coffee.

Ingredient

Honey's low water activity and real hydrogen-peroxide-generating enzymatic activity give it well-documented antimicrobial properties in laboratory and topical-use contexts. Metabolically, honey is still a sugar — its real composition is predominantly fructose and glucose, processed by the body similarly to other sugars for blood-glucose purposes.

Ingredient

Essential mineral for hemoglobin synthesis and oxygen transport. Strong, well-established evidence for treating confirmed deficiency; carries a genuine, serious overdose safety profile, particularly for young children, that must accompany any consumer-facing content.

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A salted, seasoned vegetable dish fermented by naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria (predominantly Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus, and Weissella species), which produce live microbial cultures and fermentation byproducts as the vegetables ferment.

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Essential mineral and enzymatic cofactor. Deficiency correction is well-supported; popular consumer claims (sleep, anxiety, cramps) in non-deficient people have thinner, form-dependent evidence.

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Circadian-signaling hormone; well-studied for jet lag, shift-work sleep disruption, and delayed sleep phase. Evidence for nightly chronic-insomnia use is weaker than for circadian-shift use cases.

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Oats are a whole-grain source of beta-glucan, a soluble fiber that forms a viscous gel in the digestive tract, which is the proposed mechanism for its cholesterol-lowering effect.

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High in monounsaturated fat (oleic acid) and, in extra virgin form, polyphenol antioxidants; the proposed mechanism for cardiovascular benefit involves favorable effects on lipid profiles and oxidative stress markers.

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Class of polyunsaturated fatty acids (including EPA and DHA) found in marine and some plant sources; common supplement category.

Ingredient

Shredded cabbage fermented in its own brine by naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria (predominantly Leuconostoc mesenteroides, followed by Lactobacillus species as fermentation progresses) — a simpler, single-vegetable fermentation than kimchi's spiced, multi-ingredient preparation.

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High in polyunsaturated fat, predominantly omega-6 linoleic acid; used widely in cooking and food manufacturing due to neutral flavor, high smoke point, and low cost.

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Leavened by a wild-fermentation starter culture (naturally occurring wild yeast plus lactic acid bacteria) instead of commercial baker's yeast. The real, active research area is whether this longer fermentation process meaningfully lowers glycemic response and increases mineral bioavailability by breaking down phytic acid, compared to non-fermented bread — a genuine, still-maturing research question, not a settled fact.

Ingredient

Spice/root whose studied active compounds are curcuminoids (primarily curcumin). Most clinical evidence concerns curcumin extracts, not whole turmeric as consumed in food. Modest evidence for joint/osteoarthritis symptom relief, weaker for broader claims.

Ingredient

Fat-soluble vitamin essential for calcium/phosphate absorption and bone mineralization. Strong evidence for deficiency correction and skeletal health; evidence for widely marketed non-skeletal benefits (mood, immunity, disease prevention) is comparatively weaker.

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Whey is the real liquid byproduct separated from milk during cheese-making, then dried into a protein powder. It is a real complete protein — containing all essential amino acids — with a well-documented, comparatively high leucine content, a specific amino acid with a real, established role in triggering muscle protein synthesis.

Ingredient

Milk fermented by two real, regulator-required starter cultures — Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus (the FDA's real standard-of-identity requirement for a product to be legally labeled 'yogurt' in the US). These bacteria consume much of the milk's lactose during fermentation, which is the real, well-documented mechanism behind yogurt's lower lactose content relative to milk. Straining removes whey, concentrating protein — the real mechanism behind Greek yogurt's higher protein content.

Ingredient

Essential trace mineral for immune function, wound healing, and taste/smell. Reasonably consistent evidence for reduced cold duration when taken near symptom onset; general immune-support and other marketing claims are weaker.