Pilot Assessment of Continuous Glucose Monitor for Post-meal Glucose Responses to Herbs and Spices.

Glucosidase Inhibitors and Glucose Metabolism

The purpose of this study is to determine whether continuous glucose monitoring is sensitive to quantifying the glucose response related to consumption of a starchy vegetable (potato) in combination with or separate from consumption of herbs and spices at the same meal.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Post-prandial Glucose Response
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Potato entree; Other: Mix of five herbs and spices

Detailed Description

This is a pilot study which will enroll a maximum of 10 participants. There will be 3 different food entree preparations that participants will consume (1 entree per day within the 10 day period). The order in which participants eat the different entrees will be randomized. The 3 different food entree preparations are as follows: 1) prepared potato entree with no herbs and spices, 2) prepared potato entree paired with herbs and spices, 3) prepared potato entree with herbs and spices consumed at a subsequent meal.

Following enrollment, participants will be randomized to the order of entree preparation types and provided all of the entrees with the instructions for food preparation and order of consumption noted when they arrive at the scheduled study visit. The entrees will be standardized for caloric content, composition, and preparation method. Post-consumption glucose responses will be recorded by continuous glucose monitors, which will be provided to participants at the first study visit.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 10
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Daniel L Smith Jr, PhD; Phone Number: 205-934-4086; Email: dsmithjr@uab.edu

Study Locations

• United States
  • Alabama
    • Birmingham, Alabama, United States, 35294
      • Recruiting
      • University of Alabama at Birmingham

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• body mass index (BMI): 20-35
• no dietary restriction or food allergies to study items
• weight stable
• access to a smart phone
• willingness to wear a continuous glucose monitor for the duration of the study (at minimum 10 days)

Exclusion Criteria:

• pregnancy or anticipating pregnancy or lactation
• food allergy to study items
• diagnosed diabetes (type 1 or 2) or taking diabetes medications
• history of bariatric surgery
• consumed >1 serving of potatoes daily before enrollment
• 5% weight loss or gain within the past 6 months
• medical conditions or medication that would prevent the ability to comply with the treatment assignment and/or affect blood glucose or energy balance
• condition which would prevent the ability to wear a continuous glucose monitor on the upper arm for the study duration

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Sham Comparator: Potato entree with no herbs or spices; consumption of a standardized potato entree, matched for macronutrient, calorie and preparation method across arms	Other: Potato entree; A potato entree with a fixed macronutrient and calorie content, and standardized preparation method to evoke a post-prandial glucose response
Experimental: Potato entree with herbs or spices; consumption of a standardized potato entree including a mix of five herbs and spices at a fixed amount, matched for macronutrient, calorie and preparation method across arms	Other: Potato entree; A potato entree with a fixed macronutrient and calorie content, and standardized preparation method to evoke a post-prandial glucose response; Other: Mix of five herbs and spices; Herb and spice blend of dried oregano, basil, rosemary, garlic powder and onion powder
Sham Comparator: Potato entree with no herbs or spices, with herbs and spices mix at a subsequent meal; consumption of a standardized potato entree, matched for macronutrient, calorie and preparation method across arms - with a provision including a mix of five herbs and spices at a fixed amount to be consumed at a subsequent meal within the same day (>2 hours following the potato entree consumption)	Other: Potato entree; A potato entree with a fixed macronutrient and calorie content, and standardized preparation method to evoke a post-prandial glucose response; Other: Mix of five herbs and spices; Herb and spice blend of dried oregano, basil, rosemary, garlic powder and onion powder

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Post-prandial glucose response	Glucose response will be measured using continuous glucose monitors. These devices will capture changes in glucose response from the start of the meal to about 2 hours postprandial.	0, 1, and 2 hours post-meal, as well as 24 hour continuous

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Acceptance assessment	Feedback surveys to assess meal items likeability/acceptability, adherence and feasibility ('1-5' point scale, with '3' being 'neutral' and '5' indicating the participants 'strongly agree' with regarding the likeability and acceptability of the food item) in preparation for a full trial.	0-10 days

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Alabama at Birmingham
• Collaborators: McCormick Science Institute

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 16, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): November 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): November 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 19, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 19, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): November 28, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 20, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 19, 2026
• Last Verified: March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: post-meal glucose response
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Food; Diet, Food, and Nutrition; Physiological Phenomena; Food and Beverages; Condiments; Spices
• Other Study ID Numbers: IRB-300015105; McCormick Science Institute (Other Grant/Funding Number: McCormick Science Institute)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: Individual de-identified participant data will be shared or made publicly available for any publication of findings.
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: Following publication of results
• IPD Sharing Access Criteria: Public repository

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No