Herbs and Spices for Healthy Eating

(HerbSpicesDiet Trial)

Overseen By Sara K Rosenkranz, PhD

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Must not be taking: Insulin, Probiotics, Antibiotics, others

Disqualifiers: Cancer, Hypertension, Autoimmune, GI disease, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 5

30 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests the ease and effectiveness of incorporating herbs and spices into the diets of college students with poor eating habits. The goal is to determine if this change can enhance their overall diet and health, with a focus on heart and gut health. Participants will attend sessions to learn about healthy eating through the Herbs and Spices Nutrition Education Program and will try various herbs and spices. College students who struggle to eat healthy meals might be well-suited for this study. As an unphased trial, this study provides a unique opportunity for students to explore new dietary habits and potentially improve their health.

Do I need to stop my current medications for the trial?

No, you don't need to stop your current medications. The trial requires you to maintain your current lifestyle habits, including medication use, and avoid starting new supplements or medications during the study.

What prior data suggests that the Herbs and Spices Nutrition Education Program is safe?

Research has shown that using herbs and spices in cooking is safe for most people. In past studies, participants learned to use these ingredients to make their diets healthier, and no unexpected side effects were found. The goal was to enhance food flavor without adding extra sugar, salt, or unhealthy fats.

The Herbs and Spices Nutrition Education Program teaches participants how to add herbs and spices to meals through educational sessions and cooking demonstrations. The program aims to make meals healthier and more enjoyable. So far, no evidence of safety concerns has emerged with this approach. This type of program is generally well-tolerated and could improve eating habits without causing harm. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Herbs and Spices Nutrition Education Program because it emphasizes an innovative approach to improving diet quality by making healthy foods more flavorful and enjoyable. Unlike standard dietary guidelines that often focus solely on nutritional content, this program incorporates sensory evaluations using a variety of herbs and spices to enhance taste and adherence to healthy eating habits. By teaching practical, budget-friendly strategies for integrating these flavor enhancers into meals, it aims to foster long-term adherence to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, potentially leading to better health outcomes.

What evidence suggests that the Herbs and Spices Nutrition Education Program is effective for improving dietary quality?

Research shows that using herbs and spices can enhance diet health by reducing the need for salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats. Studies have found that these flavor boosters improve the taste of healthy foods, helping people adhere to healthy eating guidelines. For example, the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans state that herbs and spices can enhance food flavor while reducing unhealthy ingredients. In this trial, participants will attend the Herbs and Spices Nutrition Education Program, which includes short educational sessions to increase knowledge and confidence in using herbs and spices, promoting healthier eating habits. Overall, these methods hold promise for improving diet quality without sacrificing taste. ^{1 6 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Neda S Akhavan, PhD, RD

Principal Investigator

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This pilot study is for college students with poor dietary quality. Participants must be willing to attend educational sessions on incorporating herbs and spices into their diet, adhere to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and complete food records. Specific eligibility criteria are not detailed here.

Inclusion Criteria

BMI 18.5-40 kg/m

Having poor dietary quality (a Rapid Prime Diet Quality Score of 10 or below)

I am currently a college student, either undergraduate or graduate.

Exclusion Criteria

Having pacemaker

BMIs <18.5 or >40 kg/m2

Autoimmune disease or immune compromised

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

1 visit (in-person)

Pre-HSNP Assessment

Participants undergo assessments of cardiometabolic and gut health, and complete dietary intake records

1 week

1 visit (in-person)

HSNP Intervention

Participants receive nutrition education on herbs and spices, complete sensory evaluations, and are provided with resources and materials

6 weeks

2 visits (in-person) at weeks 0 and 3

Post-HSNP Assessment

Participants undergo follow-up assessments of cardiometabolic and gut health, and complete dietary intake records

1 week

1 visit (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Herbs and Spices Nutrition Education Program

Trial Overview

The Herbs and Spices Nutrition Education Program (HSNP) is being tested for its feasibility, acceptability, and potential impact on diet quality, cardiometabolic health, gut health, stress levels, body composition/measurements in college students.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Herbs and Spices Nutrition Education Program Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will attend two group visits at the UNLV Nutrition Center (weeks 0 and 3 of the 6-week intervention), where trained RDs will deliver the HSNP, covering the principles and health benefits of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), recommended food group intake, and practical, budget-friendly strategies for incorporating herbs and spices into the diet. Sessions will include education, supporting materials, and a sensory evaluation of 20 foods (spanning fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, and proteins) prepared with various herbs and spices, rated using a 9-point hedonic scale to identify preferred flavor profiles and promote long-term DGA adherence through enhanced taste and acceptability.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Lead Sponsor

Trials

81

Recruited

14,700+

McCormick Science Institute

Industry Sponsor

Trials

12

Recruited

1,200+

Citations

1.

cdn.nutrition.org

cdn.nutrition.org/article/S2475-2991(25)02779-9/fulltext

Assessing the Feasibility and Potential Efficacy of Herbs and ...

Combining herbs and spices with nutrition education focused on DGA may promote adherence to healthful eating. Methods: This 6-week single-arm clinical trial ...

2.

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12114486/

Nutrition Education “Shorts”: The Effect of Short-Form ...

To improve diet quality, the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) recommends using herbs and spices to decrease salt, added sugars, ...

3.

sciencedirect.com

sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212267223012935

Using Herbs/Spices to Enhance the Flavor of Commonly ...

The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans state that spices and herbs can help flavor foods when reducing added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium, and add ...

4.

jandonline.org

jandonline.org/article/S2212-2672(23)01293-5/pdf

Using Herbs/Spices to Enhance the Flavor of Commonly ...

The aim of this research was to model the potential influence of using herbs and spices to lower the amount of saturated fat, sodium, and added ...

5.

jneb.org

jneb.org/article/S1499-4046(24)00470-6/fulltext

Comparing Video vs Handout Interventions

The study showed that the videos increased the viewer's knowledge and confidence in using herbs and spices in their diets. 5.

6.

jneb.org

jneb.org/article/S1499-4046(25)00344-6/fulltext

Evaluating the Influence of Videos on Medical ...

Our results suggest that the educational videos about flavoring foods with herbs and spices to lower added sugars, sodium, and SFAs could be an ...

7.

fns.usda.gov

fns.usda.gov/csfp/sharing-gallery/handouts

CSFP Sharing Gallery: Handouts

This gallery contains handouts such as infographics, brochures, and factsheets on a variety of nutrition education topics developed by the National Council on ...

8.

sciencedirect.com

sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1499404624004706

Nutrition Education in Primary Care: Comparing Video vs ...

In each video, the educator demonstrated simple cooking skills and food safety tips. The videos also explained how herbs and spices flavored the dish while ...

9.

mccormickscienceinstitute.com

mccormickscienceinstitute.com/resources/msi-summit/summit-proceedings/spice-myplate-a-pilot-nutrition-education-intervention-focusing-on-spices-and-herbs

Spice MyPlate: A Pilot Nutrition Education Intervention ...

Spice MyPlate was a pilot nutrition education intervention that focused on using spices and herbs to improve diet quality among Baltimore high school students.