Intake of Dietary Salicylates from Herbs and Spices among Adult Polish Omnivores and Vegans

Abstract

There is a growing body of evidence that a diet rich in bioactive compounds from herbs and spices has the ability to reduce the risk of chronic diseases. The consumption of herbs and spices is often overlooked in the studies on food intake. However, measurement of dietary intake of these products, as a source of bioactive compounds, including salicylates, has recently gained much significance. The aims of the study were (i) to assess the intake of herbs and spices at the individual level and (ii) to calculate the dietary salicylates intake from herbs and spices among adult omnivores and vegans. The study group consisted of 270 adults aged 19 to 67 years, including 205 women and 65 men. Among all, 208 individuals were following an omnivorous diet while 62 were vegans. A semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was designed to assess the habitual intake of 61 fresh and dried herbs and spices during the preceding three months. The five most frequently eaten herbs among omnivores were parsley, garlic, dill, marjoram and basil, while among vegans they were garlic, parsley, ginger, basil and dill. An average intake of all condiments included in the study was 22.4 ± 18.4 g/day and 25.8 ± 25.9 g/day for both omnivores and vegans, respectively (p = 0.007). Estimated medial salicylates intake was significantly higher among vegans (p = 0.000) and reached 5.82 mg/week vs. 3.13 mg/week for omnivores. Our study confirmed that herbs and spices are important sources of salicylates; however, the type of diet influenced their level in the diet. Vegans consume significantly more total salicylates than omnivores.

Dietary Intervention Effectiveness, Clinical Outcomes and Nutrient and Salicylate Intakes in Older Adults Living in Long-Term Care Homes: The Results from the Senior’s Plate Project

“…This value differed significantly from the other authors' findings, who estimated daily salicylate intake to range from 3 mg to 200 mg [37,38]. Interestingly, in our previous study, we found that vegan diets provided a higher amount of dietary salicylates from only herbs and spices, as compared to the entire seniors' menus [39].…”

The influence of socio-demographic factors on patterns of thyme and thyme products consumption: the case of a Mediterranean country

“…A healthy dietary pattern/food choice among old populations (45-54 years old) was similarly observed in a total diet study for the urban population living in Beirut, Lebanon (Nasreddine et al, 2006). Also, a high consumption of herbs and spices was observed among persons aged between 50 and 60 years in Poland since they could this way substitute table salt and consequently regulate blood pressure (Assimiti, 2020;Gajewska et al, 2020). Furthermore, a fast-food/ dessert dietary pattern was mainly observed among young age groups in Lebanon similar to our findings (Naja et al, 2013).…”

“…Thyme has many beneficial effects on human health. It can be considered as a table salt substitute, and thus decrease the risk of cardiovascular diseases and help hypertension patients limit their salt consumption and therefore maintain their blood pressure level (Gajewska et al, 2020).…”

Including matily herbal and spices mix in Indian diet may reduce complications of COVID-19 infection in the general population

“…The vegans consumed significantly more total salicylates than omnivores. 24 A study on the salicylate content of a variety of commonly used spices in India and its bioavailability reported that salicylic acid levels in the serum from rural Indians were significantly (median almost 3-fold) higher than values previously measured in Western vegetarians. This phytochemical may contribute to the low cancer incidence in rural India.…”

“…21 However, Indian spices and herbs are rich sources of salicylates. 24 Using spices and herbs varies in different regions of India. Tea has high levels of salicylates.…”