Alimentotherapy · treating with food
Food as medicine, graded honestly.
What the research says about ginger, honey, garlic and 24 more kitchen remedies: an evidence grade for every claim, the amounts studied, who should avoid them, and the drug interactions.
93 claims graded from 127 sources: PubMed, Cochrane, NIH and FDA. No miracle cures, no detox, no supplements of our own.
What do you want help with?
All goalsThe ledger
Most kitchen remedies are not proven. Some are.
We grade each claim separately, on human studies only, so honey can be moderate for a child’s cough and unsupported for something else. Here is how every claim on the site comes out.
How we grade- Strong6
Several good randomized trials or a high-quality meta-analysis agree, in people like the reader, at amounts people actually use.
- Moderate19
Randomized trials point the same way, but they are small, short, or mixed in quality, so the size of the effect is uncertain.
- Limited48
A few small trials, conflicting results, or evidence mostly from lab, animal or observational studies. Worth knowing about, not worth relying on.
- Not supported20
Good trials found no benefit, or the claim has never been tested in people. Popular is not the same as proven.
On the shelf
All 27 remedies, by grade- Apple cider vinegarBlood sugar after a mealModerate
- BeetrootLower blood pressure readingsLimited
- Bone brothJoint, skin or gut benefitsNot supported
- ChamomileSleep qualityLimited
- Chicken soupShort-term relief of a stuffy noseLimited
- CinnamonBlood sugar in type 2 diabetesLimited
- CranberryFewer repeat UTIs in women with recurrent infectionsModerate
- EchinaceaLower chance of catching a coldLimited
- ElderberryFlu symptomsLimited
- FennelBloating and wind after mealsLimited
- Fermented foodsGut microbiome diversityLimited
- FlaxseedSlightly lower blood pressureModerate
- GarlicBlood pressure in people with hypertensionModerate
- GingerNausea in early pregnancyModerate
- GrapefruitInteracts with many medicinesStrong
- Green teaLDL cholesterolLimited
- HoneyAcute cough in children over 1 yearModerate
- KiwifruitChronic constipationModerate
- Licorice rootSore throat after a breathing tube (gargle)Limited
- OatsLDL cholesterolStrong
- Oily fishHeart health as part of the dietModerate
- PeppermintAbdominal pain in people with IBS (oil capsules)Moderate
- PrunesConstipationModerate
- PsylliumChronic constipationStrong
- Tart cherryRecovery after strenuous exerciseModerate
- TurmericKnee osteoarthritis painModerate
- Yogurt and kefirDigesting lactoseStrong
Natural does not mean it mixes with your medicine
Grapefruit, licorice, leafy greens and aged cheese can all change how a prescription works. Check before you start a remedy, and tell your pharmacist what you take.
Search 20 interactions- Grapefruit and grapefruit juice and some statins, such as simvastatin (Zocor) and atorvastatin (Lipitor)Grapefruit can let more of the statin into the bloodstream. FDA warns that with a lot of grapefruit juice, too much of some statins may stay in the body, raising the risk of muscle and liver damage.Established
- Leafy greens and other vitamin K-rich foods and warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven)Vitamin K works against warfarin. A sudden rise in vitamin K intake can make warfarin less effective, and a sudden drop can push the INR up.Established
- Aged, fermented and cured foods high in tyramine and MAO inhibitor antidepressants, such as phenelzine (Nardil)Eating high-tyramine foods while taking an MAO inhibitor can cause a sudden, dangerous rise in blood pressure, sometimes called the cheese reaction.Established
- Black licorice and licorice root (glycyrrhizin) and blood pressure medicines and diuretics (water pills)Regular licorice raises blood pressure and lowers potassium, working against blood pressure treatment. Reviews of interaction reports include low potassium after licorice combined with antihypertensives.Established
Traditional kitchen practices
All practices- FermentationThe oldest way to keep vegetables through winter. A tested method, the right salt and clean equipment make it safe; the health claims are more modest than the hype.
- Herbal infusionsSteeping a leaf or simmering a root is the oldest way to take a plant. Most common kitchen herbs are safe as tea; a few are not, and the label on the box tells you less than you might think.
- Nose-to-tail eatingEating the whole animal is an old habit with a real nutritional case: organ meats carry more of several vitamins and minerals than muscle meat. Liver also carries enough vitamin A that portion size matters.
- Soaking and souringOld methods for preparing grains and beans break down phytic acid, a compound that holds on to minerals. The effect is real in lab and absorption studies; how much it matters depends on your whole diet.
- SproutingGerminating seeds before eating them is an old practice that changes their nutrients and texture. The warm, wet conditions are also ideal for bacteria, so raw sprouts carry real risk.