A group of researchers at Penn State University found that adding herbs and spices to meals may potentially lower the risk of blood pressure.
According to Penn State researchers, seasoning foods with 6.5 grams of herbs and spices was linked to a reduced risk of blood pressure after four weeks of its use.
As part of the research, 71 participants were recruited, all had risk factors for heart disease.
As highlighted in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the findings involved blood samples drawn at the start and after the spice diet ceased.
“A 3-period, randomized, crossover, controlled-feeding study with 71 participants was conducted at the Pennsylvania State University,” the study reads. “Each diet was consumed for 4 wk with a minimum 2-wk washout period. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and the end of each diet period.”
The study concluded: “In the context of a suboptimal US-style diet, addition of a relatively high culinary dosage of mixed herbs and spices tended to improve 24-h blood pressure after 4 wk, compared with lower dosages, in adults at elevated risk of cardiometabolic diseases.”
