The Ready-to-Eat Meals for Cardiovascular Health Study

The proposed project explores the acceptability and health benefits of ready-to-eat (RTE) meals based on the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan. The researchers have developed 14 recipes following the DASH eating plan, which is recommended for the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The prepackaged meals will be processed using Washington State University (WSU) microwave technologies to ensure food safety. In this pilot study, a sample of 30 participants will be recruited by to study the impact of the DASH meals on blood pressure. All meals will be provided to participants, who will consume the meals daily over a period of 4 weeks. Daily and weekly monitoring of participants (blood pressure and weight) will allow us to gain a scientific understanding on the preventive power of healthy diets in lowering blood pressure and reducing CVD risk.