Another discovery out of the hundreds of still unidentified substances in foods whose effect/functions are unknown. Some of these may have therapeutic benefit in concentrated doses beyond what you can acquire naturally from your diet. Promising research to be sure, but realize that there exists a laundry list of such items, and they ain't cheap! For now, the best and cheapest way to get all the known and unknown benefits of substances in food is a diet rich in minimally processed fruits and vegetables (5 servings at bare minimum, 10 or more ideally).

Studies have consistently shown that individuals whose diets are higher in these foods have better outcomes regarding cancer, heart disease, and overall health. And it has long been known that animals on purified, synthetic diets, containing all known nutrients, don't thrive like those on natural diets. The obvious reason is that there exists many unknown substances in food which have benefits. For those who wish to maximize the quantity of these substances they consume in their food, eliminating sources of "empty" calories (refined sugar, excess fat) can make your diet especially nutrient dense.