Fresh mango instead of table sugar at breakfast: effects on blood sugar, insulin, and blood vessels

Effects of Fresh Mango as a Sugar Substitute Within High and Low Glycemic Breakfasts on Postprandial Glucose and Insulin

This test will see if replacing table sugar with fresh mango in high- and low-glycemic breakfasts lowers post-meal blood sugar and insulin and improves blood vessel responses in healthy adults aged 18–45.

Quick facts

• Phase: Not applicable
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 24 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years to 45 Years
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: Ball State University (Academic / other)
• Locations: 1 site (Muncie, Indiana)
• Trial ID: NCT07045051 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

Researchers will enroll healthy adults (BMI 18.5–35 kg/m2) for a randomized crossover protocol with four breakfast visits. Each visit participants will eat one of four matched meals (cornflakes + milk or steel-cut oats + water, each sweetened with either fresh mango or sucrose) while blood samples and brachial artery flow-mediated dilation are measured at scheduled times over three hours. Sugar content and total energy are closely matched between mango- and sucrose-sweetened meals to isolate the effect of mango components. Participants will also complete acceptability and satiety surveys after each meal.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Healthy adults aged 18–45 with BMI between 18.5 and 35 kg/m2 who are not pregnant or postmenopausal, do not have cardiovascular or cardiometabolic disease, do not regularly use certain medications (like glucose- or lipid-lowering drugs), and can consume mango, wheat/gluten, and milk are ideal candidates.

Not a fit: People with type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic inflammatory conditions, those outside the age or BMI range, pregnant or postmenopausal women, tobacco or illicit drug users, or those taking glucose- or lipid-lowering medications are unlikely to qualify or benefit from the findings.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, replacing sucrose with fresh mango at breakfast could reduce post-meal glucose and insulin spikes and support better short-term vascular responses.

How similar studies have performed: Prior small studies suggest mango can blunt postprandial glucose responses, but testing mango as a direct substitute for sucrose within larger, realistic mixed meals has been limited.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

* 18 - 45 years.
* Body mass index between 18.5-35.0 kg/m2
* Not pregnant (females only)
* Not postmenopausal (females only).
* Not been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease.
* Not been diagnosed with a cardiometabolic conditions (e.g., type 2 diabetes)
* Not been diagnosed with a chronic inflammatory condition (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease).
* Does not regularly take anti-inflammatory drugs (more than 2x week).
* Does not use glucose-lowering drugs (e.g., metformin)
* Does not use lipid-lowering drugs (e.g., statins)
* Does not use tobacco products or any illicit drugs.
* Does not have a pacemaker.
* Can consume mango, wheat, gluten, and milk.
* Can stay in a supine position in the dark for at least ten minutes.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Not between the ages of 18-45
* Body mass index \< 18.5 kg/m2 or \>35.0 kg/m2
* Pregnant (females only)
* Postmenopausal status (females only).
* Been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease.
* Been diagnosed with a cardiometabolic conditions (e.g., type 2 diabetes)
* Been diagnosed with a chronic inflammatory condition (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease).
* Regularly take anti-inflammatory drugs (more than 2x week).
* Uses glucose-lowering drugs (e.g., metformin)
* Uses lipid-lowering drugs (e.g., statins)
* Uses tobacco products or any illicit drugs.
* Have a pacemaker.
* Allergic to mango, wheat, gluten, and/or milk.
* Unable to lay in supine position in the dark for at least ten minutes.

Where this trial is running

Muncie, Indiana

• Health Professions Building, Ball State University — Muncie, Indiana, United States (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Bryant Keirns, PhD — Ball State University
• Study coordinator: Bryant Keirns, PhD

Conditions Healthy Participants; glycemia; insulinemia; fresh mango; vascular health