Food additions that consumers in the professional sector in the city of Cape Town are likely to consume to enhance their phytochemical intake

Abstract

The consumption of phytochemicals present in vegetables, fruit, tea and herbs may prevent the onset of non-communicable diseases; however, the diet of many South Africans is deficient in these foods. The objectives of this study were to determine whether consumers in the professional sector in the City of Cape Town would be (i) likely to consume home-cooked dishes for enhanced phytochemical intake and, if so, (ii) which vegetable, fruit and herb additions as phytochemical providers and which dishes as food vehicles for herb and rooibos addition they would be likely to consume, and (iii) who would be likely to consume them. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to obtain this information. The respondents (n = 184) were less likely to consume onion as vegetable and mint as herb additions to dishes and more likely to consume fruit and herb additions than rooibos addition.  Egg, chicken and potato were the more likely food vehicles for herb addition while starch-based dishes were more likely food vehicles for rooibos addition. Female respondents were significantly (p < 0,05) more likely to consume dishes with added fruit than the male respondents, while older respondents were significantly (p < 0,05) more likely to consume dishes with added herbs and fruit than younger respondents.