The Postprandial Effects of a Carob-containing Meal (ACM)

February 2, 2026 updated by: Andriana C. Kaliora, Harokopio University
In an era where malnutrition and unhealthy eating patterns are salient contributors to global health deterioration, the urge for better access to nutritious alimentation is striking. Native to the Mediterranean region, the carob tree holds significant promise in this regard. With its rich nutritional profile, containing high levels of dietary fiber, polyphenols, and essential minerals, carob has been increasingly exploited by the food industry. Carob flour, derived from the pod after seed removal, is widely used as a cocoa substitute. The carob tree's fruit comprises 10% seeds and 90% pulp, containing numerous bioactive components such as dietary fiber, cyclitols, phenolic compounds, amino acids, and minerals. These components have been associated with beneficial effects on the gastrointestinal system and glucose absorption, with small-scale clinical studies indicating a hypolipidemic effect in patients with hypolipidemia. Nevertheless, comprehensive data from randomized controlled trials on the biological actions of carob remain restricted. This study explores the postprandial effects of incorporating carob into a Western-style meal, focusing on regulating glucose, insulin, and appetite hormones. The hypothesis is that a carob-enriched breakfast meal could positively influence satiety and appetite regulation, potentially offering a nutritious and sustainable dietary option for improving metabolic health. The high fiber and polyphenol content in carob are expected to modulate these postprandial responses, contributing to a better understanding of carob's role in dietary interventions. This study supports international initiatives to combat malnutrition and encourage a healthy diet, especially in light of the growing world population and the requirement for sustainable food supplies. By investigating the impact of carob on postprandial metabolic responses, this study seeks to contribute valuable insights into its potential benefits as part of a healthy diet.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

20

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Greece
      • Athens, Greece, 17671
        • Andriana Kaliora

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • healthy male adults
  • normal weight

Exclusion Criteria:

high body fat mass Type 1 Diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension thyroid disorder, liver disease, kidney disease gastrointestinal disease mental illness use of nutraceutical supplements or natural products for weight loss dietitians/nutritionists

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Meal_1
Bread, butter and carob-beverage
Other: Carob-meal
A meal with carob-beverage
Experimental: Meal_2
bread, butter and beverage with sugar (orange beverage)
Other: Non-carob-meal
A meal with orange-beverage

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Plasma ghrelin levels
Time Frame: 3 hours
Plasma ghrelin levels in the two groups for the comparison of objective satiety between treatments.
3 hours
Changes in visual analogue scale
Time Frame: 3 hours
Changes in visual analogue scale for the comparison of subjective satiety between the two groups. Values range 0-10, the higher the value the higher satiety
3 hours

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Harokopio University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

August 30, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

September 30, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

September 30, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

July 15, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 15, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

July 19, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

February 4, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 2, 2026

Last Verified

June 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • ACM-147

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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