Adults who don't routinely eat vegetables for lunch may be more likely to consume them if the vegetables are seasoned, a new study suggests.
People who seldom ate vegetables at lunch were 1.5 times more likely to select a seasoned vegetable than its unseasoned counterpart, researchers at the University of Illinois found in a study of more than 530 adults.
During the study, which was conducted over a three-week period in a cafe setting, one vegetable - broccoli, carrots or green beans - was offered each day as both a seasoned and an unseasoned selection. Customers who purchased a hot entree were offered a vegetable at no extra cost.
All diners, regardless of whether they took a vegetable, were asked to complete a survey that included questions about their eating habits, vegetable preferences and likelihood of purchasing a vegetable side dish if it were priced at $1.
Broccoli, carrots and green beans were chosen for the study because they are among the vegetables most frequently consumed by adults in the U.S., said the paper's lead author, Joanna Manero, a graduate student in food science and human nutrition.
