A dietary intervention claims that concentrated phytochemical supplements will reduce systemic inflammation as effectively as a diet rich in whole fruits and vegetables. Which critique is most justified based on current strengths and limitations of evidence?

• A. Whole-food diets provide complex mixtures of phytochemicals, fiber, and micronutrients that act synergistically; evidence for single concentrated supplements producing the same clinical benefit is weak and trials often show inconsistent results, so the claim is not well supported.
• B. Supplements and whole foods are equivalent because phytochemicals are inert compounds unaffected by food matrices, so any trial showing differences must be due to placebo effects only.
• C. The claim is fully justified because observational studies alone are definitive evidence of supplementation efficacy and mechanistic rationale is unnecessary for recommending high-dose isolated compounds.
• D. Concentrated phytochemical supplements are always superior to whole foods because they isolate the active ingredient and therefore inevitably yield stronger anti-inflammatory effects in human trials.

Answer: (A)