To get adults to eat more vegetables, they should be cooked with herbs and spices, depending on the results of a study published in the medical journal Appetite.
Researchers at the University of Illinois in the United States analyzed the vegetable consumption of 530 adult men and women over a three-week period. They conducted their study in a brewery to understand the effects of seasonings on the intake of vegetables in the diet.
“Low vegetable intake continues to be a public health concern, and strategies to increase vegetable intake have resulted in only very small increases. Our study sought to understand the impact of condiments on this consumption, ”explained Joanna Manero, author of the study.
Each time they ordered, a plate of steamed or seasoned vegetables was offered to the customer free of charge. On the menu, carrots, broccoli and green beans, the vegetables most appreciated by Americans. All participants also had to answer a questionnaire on their eating habits and say whether the price of vegetables motivated their purchase.
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The results of the study showed that the majority of participants said they liked carrots, green beans and broccoli, seasoned or not.
The majority (84%) of those surveyed claimed to order broccoli even though it was displayed for the price of a dollar. 74% of them said they would prefer green beans and 64% carrots.
The researchers observed that people who ate very few vegetables for lunch were more likely (1.5 times) to prefer seasoned vegetables rather than steamed, especially men under the age of 50.
On the other hand, fans of vegetables like them unseasoned.
“We must improve the nutritional quality in our country and devote more time to thinking about a healthier lifestyle, in particular by having a sufficient consumption of fruits and vegetables”, recalls the researcher. “Herbs and spices could make vegetables more appetizing, especially for men, and young adults in general, who tend to consume less plant foods than women and older adults.”
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