Uses of Spices Amongst Generation Z Students at a University Located in Rural Poland: An Exploratory Study

Background: According to well-known dietary recommendations, herbs and spices are part of a healthy, balanced diet, and their consumption may contribute to improved health. Globalisation fosters greater exposure to other cultures and cuisines, including the use of spices. This study aimed to assess the awareness and attitudes towards spices among Polish students in a rural area. Methods: A survey study was conducted among 278 Generation Z students (aged 18-28 years old) from a university located in a small town in southeastern Poland. Questions concerning, a.o., preparing meals, awareness of spices' properties, and the use of seasoning were included. Results: Most of the respondents declared using a lot of spices beyond salt and pepper (61.2%), more often women than men (67.9% vs. 45.1%; p = 0.0004), and more often participants aged ≥23 years than ≤22 years (82.9% vs. 58.0%; p = 0.005). Participants who grew their own spices and often watched TV culinary programs used more seasonings (72.4%; p = 0.001 and 85.2%; p = 0.0002, respectively). Less than half of the respondents (45%) recognised health properties in some of the spices, and 28.1% of them recognised health properties in spices in general, with more older participants (45.7%; p = 0.0402). Respondents with the highest awareness of the health properties of spices used them more often to improve their health (42.3%; p < 0.00). Conclusions: Exposure to cuisines from other cultures and their spices and the willingness to try new flavours among respondents were low. This might be due to sociodemographic factors, including origin from small, rural, traditional communities, where attachment to familiar recipes might be observed. Moreover, awareness of the healing benefits of spice use was low. Therefore, education about the composition and use of local spices might be helpful in increasing their intake for the benefit of health.