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Functional Foods by Wellness Goal

Functional foods by wellness goal: which foods have trial evidence for cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, gut, menopause and more, which are observational, and where proper evidence was not found.

Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.

Safety first. Supplements can cause side effects and interact with medicines. Read mushroom safety and interactions before you use any mushroom product.

This page asks which foods have evidence for common goals. It is not advice to treat a condition. Trial means a randomized trial or a meta-analysis of trials; observational means people were followed or surveyed.

GoalFoods and what the sources showEvidence type
LDL cholesterolOats: -0.25 mmol/L at 3 g beta-glucan a day [1]. Soy protein: -4.76 mg/dL [2]. Walnuts: -5.51 mg/dL [3]. Black tea: -4.64 mg/dL [4]. Cocoa: -9.47 mg/dL in a 31-study meta-analysis [5]. Plant sterol foods: 6% to 12% [6].Trials; small to moderate effects
Blood pressurePomegranate: -7.87 mmHg systolic, high heterogeneity [7]. Beet juice: -5.31 mmHg in hypertension, low certainty [8]. Tea: -4.81 mmHg in a 5-trial review [9]. Cocoa: -2.52 mmHg [5].Trials; mixed certainty
Blood sugarChickpeas lowered the glucose response vs potatoes and wheat in healthy adults [10]. Pistachios: -5.32 mg/dl fasting glucose in high-risk adults [11]. Resistant starch types 1 and 2 in type 2 diabetes [12].Small trials
Heart diseaseLegumes [13], oily fish [14], leafy greens [15]: observational links. A Mediterranean diet beat a low-fat diet for secondary prevention in the CORDIOPREV trial (hazard ratios 0.72 to 0.75), in men and not women, and it is a whole eating pattern, not one food [16].Mostly observational; one pattern trial
Gut health, constipationFermented foods have limited trial evidence: kefir [17], sauerkraut [18]. Fiber for constipation was studied as supplements [19].Weak for foods
Weight, fullnessAlmonds: -0.38 kg body weight in a meta-analysis [20]. Barley: a small appetite study [21]. Proper evidence for "foods for fullness" was not found beyond these.Small
Menopause symptomsSoy isoflavones: small effect (Hedges' g -0.25) [22].Trials
Brain, cognitionBlueberry powder in older adults [23]; avocado memory outcomes [24]; pomegranate cognition research is mostly animal [25].Small trials
Eye healthAvocado raised macular pigment [24]; leafy greens and lutein observational [26].Small trial; observational
PregnancyA meta-analysis of 4 manuscripts (533 participants) linked probiotic yogurt to lower gestational diabetes risk (pooled OR 0.35) [27]; a blueberry-plus-fiber trial in women with obesity [28]. Ask a clinician before diet changes in pregnancy.Small
Bone, exercise performance, children, older adultsProper evidence was not found in the sources we read for foods in these goals. The yogurt review reported association with bone health, not a trial. [29]Gap

How to use this table

Pick the goal, then read the food guide, which says what was measured and what the limits are. See also Safety.

Frequently asked questions

Which food lowers cholesterol most?

We did not find head-to-head trials. Oats, soy, walnuts, tea and cocoa each lowered LDL modestly in meta-analyses. [1][2][3]

References

  1. Whitehead A et al. Cholesterol-lowering effects of oat β-glucan: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Clin Nutr 2014. PMID 25411276.
  2. Blanco Mejia S et al. A Meta-Analysis of 46 Studies Identified by the FDA Demonstrates that Soy Protein Decreases Circulating LDL and Total Cholesterol Concentrations in Adults. J Nutr 2019. PMID 31006811.
  3. Guasch-Ferré M et al. Effects of walnut consumption on blood lipids and other cardiovascular risk factors: an updated meta-analysis and systematic review of controlled trials. Am J Clin Nutr 2018. PMID 29931130.
  4. Zhao Y et al. Black tea consumption and serum cholesterol concentration: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Clin Nutr 2015. PMID 24972454.
  5. Arisi TOP et al. Effects of Cocoa Consumption on Cardiometabolic Risk Markers: Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients 2024. PMID 38931273.
  6. Ras RT et al. LDL-cholesterol-lowering effect of plant sterols and stanols across different dose ranges: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled studies. Br J Nutr 2014. PMID 24780090.
  7. Bahari H et al. The effects of pomegranate consumption on blood pressure in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Phytother Res 2024. PMID 38410857.
  8. Grönroos R et al. Effects of beetroot juice on blood pressure in hypertension according to European Society of Hypertension Guidelines: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis 2024. PMID 39069465.
  9. Mahdavi-Roshan M et al. The effects of regular consumption of green or black tea beverage on blood pressure in those with elevated blood pressure or hypertension: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Complement Ther Med 2020. PMID 32507441.
  10. Nam T et al. Effectiveness of Chickpeas on Blood Sugar: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients 2023. PMID 37960209.
  11. Hadi A et al. Effects of pistachios on glycaemic control: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Br J Nutr 2023. PMID 35795961.
  12. Pugh JE et al. A comparison of the effects of resistant starch types on glycemic response in individuals with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Nutr 2023. PMID 37051127.
  13. Mendes V et al. Intake of legumes and cardiovascular disease: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis 2023. PMID 36411221.
  14. Krittanawong C et al. Fish Consumption and Cardiovascular Health: A Systematic Review. Am J Med 2021. PMID 33444594.
  15. Ojagbemi A et al. Dietary intakes of green leafy vegetables and incidence of cardiovascular diseases. Cardiovasc J Afr 2021. PMID 34128951.
  16. Delgado-Lista J et al. Long-term secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease with a Mediterranean diet and a low-fat diet (CORDIOPREV): a randomised controlled trial. Lancet 2022. PMID 35525255.
  17. Kairey L et al. The effects of kefir consumption on human health: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Nutr Rev 2023. PMID 35913411.
  18. Schropp N et al. The impact of regular sauerkraut consumption on the human gut microbiota: a crossover intervention trial. Microbiome 2025. PMID 39940045.
  19. van der Schoot A et al. The Effect of Fiber Supplementation on Chronic Constipation in Adults: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Am J Clin Nutr 2022. PMID 35816465.
  20. Eslampour E et al. The effect of almond intake on anthropometric indices: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Food Funct 2020. PMID 32857083.
  21. Aoe S et al. Effect of cooked white rice with high β-glucan barley on appetite and energy intake in healthy Japanese subjects: a randomized controlled trial. Plant Foods Hum Nutr 2014. PMID 25139426.
  22. Luan H et al. Effects of soy isoflavones on menopausal symptoms in perimenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PeerJ 2025. PMID 40718787.
  23. Wood E et al. Wild blueberry (poly)phenols can improve vascular function and cognitive performance in healthy older individuals: a double-blind randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr 2023. PMID 36972800.
  24. Scott TM et al. Avocado Consumption Increases Macular Pigment Density in Older Adults: A Randomized, Controlled Trial. Nutrients 2017. PMID 28832514.
  25. Molani-Gol R et al. Pomegranate and Cognitive Performance: A Systematic Review. Curr Pharm Des 2023. PMID 37005403.
  26. Li N et al. Green leafy vegetable and lutein intake and multiple health outcomes. Food Chem 2021. PMID 34034049.
  27. Tabatabaeizadeh SA et al. Effect of probiotic yogurt on gestational diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Diabetes Metab Syndr 2023. PMID 37062185.
  28. Basu A et al. Dietary Blueberry and Soluble Fiber Supplementation Reduces Risk of Gestational Diabetes in Women with Obesity in a Randomized Controlled Trial. J Nutr 2021. PMID 33693835.
  29. Savaiano DA et al. Yogurt, cultured fermented milk, and health: a systematic review. Nutr Rev 2021. PMID 32447398.
Education, not medical advice. This page is for general information. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and is not a substitute for care from a qualified health professional. Natural does not automatically mean safe. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before changing your care, especially if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition.