Summary Dietary polyphenols constitute a large family of bioactive substances potential beneficial effect on metabolic syndrome (MetS). This review summarizes the results of clinical studies on patients with MetS involving the chronic supplementation of a polyphenol‐rich diet, foods, extracts or with single phenolics on the features of MetS (obesity, dyslipidemia, blood pressure and glycaemia) and associated complications (oxidative stress and inflammation). Polyphenols were shown to be efficient, especially at higher doses, and there were no specific foods or extracts able to alleviate all the features of MetS. Green tea, however, significantly reduced body mass index and waist circumference and improved lipid metabolism. Cocoa supplementation reduced blood pressure and blood glucose. Soy isoflavones, citrus products, hesperidin and quercetin improved lipid metabolism, whereas cinnamon reduced blood glucose. In numerous clinical studies, antioxidative and anti‐inflammatory effects were not significant after polyphenol supplementation in patients with MetS. However, some trials pointed towards an improvement of endothelial function in patients supplemented with cocoa, anthocyanin‐rich berries, hesperidin or resveratrol. Therefore, diets rich in polyphenols, such as the Mediterranean diet, which promote the consumption of diverse polyphenol‐rich products could be an effective nutritional strategy to improve the health of patients with MetS. © 2016 The Authors. Obesity Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of World Obesity