An interventional study of Honey and Sucrose in Postprandial Glycemia, Metabolic Stress and Cognitive Change, sponsored by USDA, Western Human Nutrition Research Center. Active, not recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 40 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-05-29.
Sponsored by USDA, Western Human Nutrition Research Center · Not applicable, Interventional, and Basic science
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.
Consuming sugar creates a feeling of satiation, and may buffer metabolic stress. However, prolonged postprandial hyperglycemia has been identified as a potential risk factor in type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Nuts, which are recommended to be consumed as part of a Mediterranean diet, up to 2 servings per day, have been shown to dramatically reduce postprandial glucose response to carbohydrates. Additionally, honey, which is typically used as an added sugar within a Mediterranean diet pattern, has a lower glycemic index than table sugar and may result in a reduced postprandial glucose response relative to other nutritive sweeteners. However, it is not yet known whether honey can work additively with nuts to further reduce postprandial glucose response over the reduction caused by nuts alone.
Honey has been shown to produce equivalent or greater satiety to regular table sugar and there is some indication that honey can improve immediate/working memory. Therefore, combined consumption of honey and nuts may offer a way to maximize the benefits of carbohydrate consumption on satiety and metabolic stress reduction while minimizing its negative effects on metabolism. However, it is not yet known whether sugars contained in the more complex food matrix of honey, consumed together with a food like nuts can impact satiety and metabolic stress in the way that has been observed for sugar.
541 studies on the registry are indexed under Personal Satisfaction; 93 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 58 is below the median of 93 across 416 interventional studies indexed under Personal Satisfaction.
Browse Personal Satisfaction studies →USDA, Western Human Nutrition Research Center is the lead sponsor of 54 studies on the registry; 1 is open to participants now.
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Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Regarding female candidates:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Periods have stopped for good: usually no period for 12 months in a row without another medical reason, sometimes confirmed by a blood test (FSH).
BMI (body mass index)
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Postmenopausal
Periods have stopped for good: usually no period for 12 months in a row without another medical reason, sometimes confirmed by a blood test (FSH).
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
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
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
Honey representing 7% of total energy (kilocalorie) needs (40-70 grams)
Sucrose representing 7% of total energy (kilocalorie) needs (40-70 grams)
Honey representing 7% of total energy (kilocalorie) needs (40-70 grams) plus 1 ounce almonds (28 grams)
Sucrose representing 7% of total energy (kilocalorie) needs (40-70 grams) plus 1 ounce almonds (28 grams)
Change in postprandial glucose response
Interstitial glucose response measured by a continuous glucose monitor
Time frame: Measured continuously over days 0-8 and 23-31
Change in Self-reported hunger
Responses regarding hunger will be collected using a visual analog scale on a tablet with a 0-100 scale depicting the extremes (0= not at all to 100= extremely)
Time frame: Fasting and 30, 60, and 90 min after consumption of standard breakfast on days 4, 8, 27, and 31
Change in Self-reported fullness
Responses regarding fullness will be collected using a visual analog scale on a tablet with a 0-100 scale depicting the extremes (0= not at all to 100= extremely)
Time frame: 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
Responses regarding desire to eat will be collected using a visual analog scale on a tablet with a 0-100 scale depicting the extremes (0= not at all to 100= extremely)
Time frame: 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
Responses regarding satisfaction with snack will be collected using a visual analog scale on a tablet with a 0-100 scale depicting the extremes (0= not at all to 100= extremely)
Time frame: 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
Responses regarding prospective consumption will be collected using a visual analog scale on a tablet with a 0-100 scale depicting the extremes (0= not at all to 100= extremely)
Time frame: Fasting and 30, 60, and 90 min after consumption of standard breakfast on days 4, 8, 27, and 31
Change in Self-reported nausea
Responses regarding nausea will be collected using a visual analog scale on a tablet with a 0-100 scale depicting the extremes (0= not at all to 100= extremely)
Time frame: Fasting and 30, 60, and 90 min after consumption of standard breakfast on days 4, 8, 27, and 31
Change in Cognitive testing for Spatial Working Memory
Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated battery (CANTAB) software will be used to assess Spatial Working Memory (SWM)
Time frame: Days 4, 8, 27, and 31
Change in Cognitive testing for Paired Associates Learning
CANTAB software will be used to assess Paired Associates Learning (PAL)
Time frame: Days 4, 8, 27, and 31
Change in Cognitive testing for Rapid Visual Processing
CANTAB software will be used to assess Rapid Visual Processing (RVP)
Time frame: Days 4, 8, 27, and 31
Change in Salivary cortisol
Metabolic stress will be analyzed by measuring cortisol in saliva samples
Time frame: Day 0 and 23 fasting only. Days 4, 8, 27, and 31 at fasting, 30, 60 and 90 min after consumption of snack provided in standard breakfast
Assessment of Fasted Salivary Estradiol
Passive drool will be assayed for estradiol as they impact metabolic stress throughout study days
Time frame: Days 0, 4, 8, 23, 27,and 31 at fasting only
Assessment of Fasted Salivary Progesterone
Passive drool will be assayed for progesterone as they impact metabolic stress throughout study days
Time frame: Days 0, 4, 8, 23, 27,and 31 at fasting only
Change in Stool marker of inflammation
Fecal calprotectin measured in stool samples
Time frame: Stool collected on study days 0, 4, 8, 23, 27, and 31
Change in Stool bacterial metagenomics
Honey responsive genes identified by metagenomics
Time frame: Stool collected on study days 0, 4, 8, 23, 27, and 31
Change in Dietary Intake
Food records collected using Automated Multi-pass Method (AMPM) on the platform ASA24
Time frame: Days 1-3, 5-7, 24-26, and 28-30
PDFs hosted by the registry, ClinicalTrials.gov.
Ran from Jan 2024 to primary completion in Oct 2025, 21 months.
Of 248 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Personal Satisfaction, half reached primary completion within 9 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 3 and three quarters within 21. This study's 21 months is above that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 255 studies reached it within 9 months; a quarter within 3 and three quarters within 21.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in May 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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USDA, Western Human Nutrition Research Center