Reason to Season; Flavors to Increase Vascular Health

Summary

Scientific evidence is growing on the health benefits of herbs/spices. The study is interested in understanding how various herb and spice blends influence the function of blood vessels. The study is also interested in how blood sugar, the insulin hormone and immune cells may be related to how well the blood vessels function. Herbs and spices have components called phytochemicals that may be related to how well blood vessels function. The study is planned to investigate these relationships.

After qualifying to participate in the research study, participants will be asked to come to the Clinical Nutrition Research Center (CNRC) for four on-site Study Days, each lasting for about 8 hours with a 40 min followup to measure vessels' function the next morning. On each Study Day, different amounts of herbs/spices will be included in a breakfast meal. The herbs and spices are purchased in the grocery store and are Italian herbs, cinnamon, and a mix of pumpkin pie spices (cinnamon, ginger, clove, nutmeg).

All meals will be prepared in the CNRC's kitchen using foods and ingredients purchased at the local grocery store. Blood collection and blood vessel function tests will be performed during the Study Day using typical procedures used in hospitals, doctor offices, and clinics.

Conditions

• Overweight and Obesity
• Healthy

Interventions

OTHER

Breakfast: control meal

The breakfast meal includes a Taiwanese style pancake plus a side of hash browns with ketchup. Every meal will be individualized to meet the 30% of the energy requirement of subjects based on the Harris benedict equation.

OTHER

Breakfast: Cinnamon meal

The breakfast meal includes a Taiwanese style pancake seasoned with grounded cinnamon plus a side of hash browns with ketchup. Every meal will be individualized to meet the 30% of the energy requirement of subjects based on the Harris benedict equation.

OTHER

Breakfast: Italian herbs meal

The breakfast meal includes a Taiwanese style pancake seasoned with Italian herbs plus a side of hash browns with ketchup. Every meal will be individualized to meet the 30% of the energy requirement of subjects based on the Harris benedict equation.

OTHER

Breakfast: pumpkin spice

The breakfast meal includes a Taiwanese style pancake seasoned with pumpkin spices plus a side of hash browns with ketchup. Every meal will be individualized to meet the 30% of the energy requirement of subjects based on the Harris benedict equation.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• McCormick Science Institute

  collaborator INDUSTRY

• Clinical Nutrition Research Center, Illinois Institute of Technology

  lead INDUSTRY

Principal Investigators

• Britt Burton-Freeman, Ph.D · Illinois Insititute of Technology

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

SINGLE

Model

CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2019-04-18

Primary Completion

2021-02-01

Completion

2021-02-01

Countries

• United States

Study Locations