Culinary Medicine Program Using Herbs and Spices to Increase Vegetable Consumption Among Adults with Hypertension: A Randomized Controlled Feasibility Study.

This article focuses on the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a 6-week electronic culinary medicine (eCulinary medicine) program emphasizing the use of herbs and spices to improve dietary behaviors and health outcomes in adults with hypertension. In a randomized controlled pilot study with 17 participants, those in the intervention group showed significant reductions in sodium, caloric, and fat intake, as well as increased fiber intake and decreased diastolic blood pressure at one-month follow-up compared to controls. Although vegetable intake did not significantly change, the study suggests that virtual culinary medicine interventions may modestly improve diet quality and blood pressure management in hypertensive adults. High attrition rates and a small sample size limit generalizability, indicating the need for larger, longer-term studies with enhanced engagement strategies.