Researchers at Penn State have discovered a way to make popular American foods healthier without sacrificing taste.
They replaced excess saturated fats, sugar, and salt in these foods with healthy herbs and spices.
Let's see whether it's possible to keep the taste while making popular dishes healthier.
More about the research
The research initially focused on pinpointing ten widely enjoyed dishes known for their high levels of sodium, added sugars, and saturated fat.
These dishes ranged from meatloaf and chicken pot pie to macaroni and cheese, as well as brownies.
Following this, the scientists collaborated with great cooks to devise three variations of each recipe.
These encompassed one version with the typical less healthy components, another with a reduction in these less healthy ingredients, and a third version maintaining the healthier adjustments while using additional herbs and spices.
Test results
Blind taste experiments were conducted with people who evaluated each version of the dishes.
Adding more herbs and spices made seven out of ten recipes as likable as the original versions, with some dishes even preferred over the originals.
Why it's important
The experiment showed that modifying these recipes can reduce overconsumed nutrients while remaining acceptable to consumers.
This is important because cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death globally, and reducing saturated fat and sodium intake is crucial for reducing the risk of this disease.
If 100% of people adopted these healthier ideas, there could be noticeable reductions in saturated fat and salt intake, potentially improving people's health.
