If phytonutrients can be so healthful, why not just take plant extract supplements rather than go to all the trouble of eating the plants themselves? Besides the misidentification, contamination, and adulteration issues rife within the poorly regulated supplement market7058 we’ve discussed, there is a question of dose. Taking polyphenol supplements can result in blood levels nearly an order of magnitude higher than that of a polyphenol-rich diet.7059 When it comes to hormesis, less may be more.
