WHNRC (Western Human Nutrition Research Center) Honey Study

NCT06107231 | Active Not Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: FL118
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 80
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The purpose of this research is to compare two snacks, one with honey and nuts and the other with sugar and nuts, on glucose levels before and after eating these snacks. The investigators hypothesize that honey and nuts will have an additive effect on the reduction of postprandial glucose response. The investigators further hypothesize that consumption of honey paired with nuts will retain the benefit of sugar consumption in satiety and reduction of metabolic stress.

Conditions

Postprandial Glycemia; Metabolic Stress; Cognitive Change; Satisfaction, Personal

Keywords

Satiety; Cognition; Cortisol; Glucose; Honey; Nuts; Saliva; Stool; Almonds; Sucrose

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in postprandial glucose response

  Interstitial glucose response measured by a continuous glucose monitor

  Measured continuously over days 0-8 and 23-31

Secondary Outcomes (15)

• Change in Self-reported hunger

  Fasting and 30, 60, and 90 min after consumption of standard breakfast on days 4, 8, 27, and 31

• Change in Self-reported fullness

  Fasting and 30, 60, and 90 min after consumption of standard breakfast on days 4, 8, 27, and 31

• Change in Self-reported desire to eat

  Fasting and 30, 60, and 90 min after consumption of standard breakfast on days 4, 8, 27, and 31

• Change in Self-reported satisfaction with snack

  Fasting and 30, 60, and 90 min after consumption of standard breakfast on days 4, 8, 27, and 31

• Change in Self-reported prospective consumption

  Fasting and 30, 60, and 90 min after consumption of standard breakfast on days 4, 8, 27, and 31

Study Arms (2)

Honey alone and honey with almonds, then sucrose alone and sucrose with almonds

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will be provided honey alone once each day for 3 days, then honey plus almonds for an additional 3 days while wearing a continuous glucose monitor. After a 14 day wash-out, participants will be provided sucrose alone once each day for 3 days, then sucrose plus almonds for an additional 3 days while wearing a continuous glucose monitor.

Other: Honey; Other: Sucrose; Other: Honey plus almonds; Other: Sucrose plus almonds

Sucrose alone and sucrose with almonds, then honey alone and honey with almonds

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will be provided sucrose alone once each day for 3 days, then sucrose plus almonds for an additional 3 days while wearing a continuous glucose monitor. After a 14 day wash-out, participants will be provided honey alone once each day for 3 days, then honey plus almonds for an additional 3 days while wearing a continuous glucose monitor.

Other: Honey; Other: Sucrose; Other: Honey plus almonds; Other: Sucrose plus almonds

Interventions

Honey OTHER

Honey representing 7% of total energy (kilocalorie) needs (40-70 grams)

Honey alone and honey with almonds, then sucrose alone and sucrose with almonds; Sucrose alone and sucrose with almonds, then honey alone and honey with almonds

Sucrose OTHER

Sucrose representing 7% of total energy (kilocalorie) needs (40-70 grams)

Honey alone and honey with almonds, then sucrose alone and sucrose with almonds; Sucrose alone and sucrose with almonds, then honey alone and honey with almonds

Honey plus almonds OTHER

Honey representing 7% of total energy (kilocalorie) needs (40-70 grams) plus 1 ounce almonds (28 grams)

Honey alone and honey with almonds, then sucrose alone and sucrose with almonds; Sucrose alone and sucrose with almonds, then honey alone and honey with almonds

Sucrose plus almonds OTHER

Sucrose representing 7% of total energy (kilocalorie) needs (40-70 grams) plus 1 ounce almonds (28 grams)

Honey alone and honey with almonds, then sucrose alone and sucrose with almonds; Sucrose alone and sucrose with almonds, then honey alone and honey with almonds

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 40 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Women must be pre-menopausal
• Willing to consume snacks that contain honey, table sugar, and tree nuts

You may not qualify if:

• Body Mass Index (BMI) \<18.5 or \>40
• Allergies to tree nuts
• Current medical diagnoses of chronic diseases including cardiovascular or pulmonary diseases, renal diseases, cancer, type 1 or type 2 diabetes, thyroid disease requiring medication, inflammatory or irritable bowel diseases, or those with recent major surgeries
• No individuals who fall in to the vulnerable categories of adults including those unable to consent, pregnant women, children, or prisoners will be eligible for this study
• Routinely taking medications known to affect glucose response.
• Caffeine and alcohol use will not be excluded, but should be carefully reported by each subject.
• Regarding female candidates:
• Post-menopausal
• Women who have been pregnant or nursing within the last 6 months or plan to become pregnant during the trial will be ineligible

Sponsors & Collaborators

• USDA, Western Human Nutrition Research Center: lead
• National Honey Board: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

USDA, ARS, Western Human Nutrition Research Center

Davis, California, 95616, United States

Location

Related Publications (11)

• Anderson GH, Woodend D. Consumption of sugars and the regulation of short-term satiety and food intake. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003 Oct;78(4):843S-849S. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/78.4.843S.

  PMID: 14522748 BACKGROUND

• Tryon MS, Stanhope KL, Epel ES, Mason AE, Brown R, Medici V, Havel PJ, Laugero KD. Excessive Sugar Consumption May Be a Difficult Habit to Break: A View From the Brain and Body. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2015 Jun;100(6):2239-47. doi: 10.1210/jc.2014-4353. Epub 2015 Apr 16.

  PMID: 25879513 BACKGROUND

• Virani SS, Alonso A, Benjamin EJ, Bittencourt MS, Callaway CW, Carson AP, Chamberlain AM, Chang AR, Cheng S, Delling FN, Djousse L, Elkind MSV, Ferguson JF, Fornage M, Khan SS, Kissela BM, Knutson KL, Kwan TW, Lackland DT, Lewis TT, Lichtman JH, Longenecker CT, Loop MS, Lutsey PL, Martin SS, Matsushita K, Moran AE, Mussolino ME, Perak AM, Rosamond WD, Roth GA, Sampson UKA, Satou GM, Schroeder EB, Shah SH, Shay CM, Spartano NL, Stokes A, Tirschwell DL, VanWagner LB, Tsao CW; American Heart Association Council on Epidemiology and Prevention Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics-2020 Update: A Report From the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2020 Mar 3;141(9):e139-e596. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000000757. Epub 2020 Jan 29.

  PMID: 31992061 BACKGROUND

• Gallwitz B. Implications of postprandial glucose and weight control in people with type 2 diabetes: understanding and implementing the International Diabetes Federation guidelines. Diabetes Care. 2009 Nov;32 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):S322-5. doi: 10.2337/dc09-S331. No abstract available.

  PMID: 19875573 BACKGROUND

• Bach-Faig A, Berry EM, Lairon D, Reguant J, Trichopoulou A, Dernini S, Medina FX, Battino M, Belahsen R, Miranda G, Serra-Majem L; Mediterranean Diet Foundation Expert Group. Mediterranean diet pyramid today. Science and cultural updates. Public Health Nutr. 2011 Dec;14(12A):2274-84. doi: 10.1017/S1368980011002515.

  PMID: 22166184 BACKGROUND

• Josse AR, Kendall CW, Augustin LS, Ellis PR, Jenkins DJ. Almonds and postprandial glycemia--a dose-response study. Metabolism. 2007 Mar;56(3):400-4. doi: 10.1016/j.metabol.2006.10.024.

  PMID: 17292730 BACKGROUND

• Larson-Meyer DE, Willis KS, Willis LM, Austin KJ, Hart AM, Breton AB, Alexander BM. Effect of honey versus sucrose on appetite, appetite-regulating hormones, and postmeal thermogenesis. J Am Coll Nutr. 2010 Oct;29(5):482-93. doi: 10.1080/07315724.2010.10719885.

  PMID: 21504975 BACKGROUND

• Gourdomichali T, Papakonstantinou E. Short-term effects of six Greek honey varieties on glycemic response: a randomized clinical trial in healthy subjects. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2018 Dec;72(12):1709-1716. doi: 10.1038/s41430-018-0160-8. Epub 2018 Apr 24.

  PMID: 29686412 BACKGROUND

• Othman Z, Shafin N, Zakaria R, Hussain NH, Mohammad WM. Improvement in immediate memory after 16 weeks of tualang honey (Agro Mas) supplement in healthy postmenopausal women. Menopause. 2011 Nov;18(11):1219-24. doi: 10.1097/gme.0b013e31821e2044.

  PMID: 21926932 BACKGROUND

• Gonzalez-Rodriguez M, Pazos-Couselo M, Garcia-Lopez JM, Rodriguez-Segade S, Rodriguez-Garcia J, Tunez-Bastida C, Gude F. Postprandial glycemic response in a non-diabetic adult population: the effect of nutrients is different between men and women. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2019 Jul 17;16:46. doi: 10.1186/s12986-019-0368-1. eCollection 2019.

  PMID: 31346341 BACKGROUND

• Carroll JF, Kaiser KA, Franks SF, Deere C, Caffrey JL. Influence of BMI and gender on postprandial hormone responses. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2007 Dec;15(12):2974-83. doi: 10.1038/oby.2007.355.

  PMID: 18198306 BACKGROUND

Related Links

• CDC National Diabetes Statistics Report, 2020, Estimates of Diabetes and Its Burden in the United States

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Personal Satisfaction

Interventions

Honey; Sucrose

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Food; Diet, Food, and Nutrition; Physiological Phenomena; Food and Beverages; Disaccharides; Oligosaccharides; Polysaccharides; Carbohydrates; Sugars

Study Officials

• Mary Kable, PhD

  USDA, ARS, Western Human Nutrition Research Center

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Nancy Keim, PhD

  USDA, ARS, Western Human Nutrition Research Center

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Kevin Laugero, PhD

  USDA, ARS, Western Human Nutrition Research Center

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: FED
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 24, 2023
• First Posted: October 30, 2023
• Study Start: January 16, 2024
• Primary Completion: October 31, 2025
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 30, 2026
• Last Updated: November 24, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-11

Locations

US (1)