The Glycemic Indices of Five Common Varieties of Dates in the Tested Among Healthy and Diabetic Subjects

Status

Completed

Phases

Early Phase 1

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT01307904

Acronym

Dates

Enrollment

Registered

2011-03-03

Start date

2010-03-31

Completion date

2010-07-31

Last updated

2011-03-03

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Diabetes Mellitus

Keywords

Glycemic index, Dates, Blood glucose

Brief summary

The main objectives of this study is to measure the composition of five common types of dates (Fara'd, Lulu, Abu ouma'n, Dabbas and Khalas) and to calculate their Glycemic Indices (GI) of these dates tested in healthy and diabetic subjects. Thirteen healthy volunteers and ten subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus were enrolled in the study. The dates' flesh composition analysis showed that the dates contain a high percentage of carbohydrate (total sugars, 65-68%). The measured mean glycemic indices of the dates among healthy individuals were 54.0, 53.5, 46.3, 49.1 and 55.1 for Fara'd, Lulu, Abu Ouma'n, Dabbas and Khalas, respectively. Corresponding mean glycemic indices among individuals with type 2 diabetes were very similar 46.1, 43.8, 51.8, 50.2, and 53.0. Thus the tested five varieties of the dates are classified as low glycemic index food items.

Detailed description

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has transitioned rapidly over the last 40 years. This has lead to a dramatic increase in the prevalence of obesity, metabolic syndrome, dyslipidaemia, hypertension, prediabetes and diabetes. Daily consumption of dates is the norm.The main objectives of this study is to measure the composition of five common types of dates (Fara'd, Lulu, Abu ouma'n, Dabbas and Khalas) and to calculate their Glycemic Indices (GI) of these dates tested equally in healthy and diabetic subjects. Thirteen healthy volunteers and ten subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus were enrolled in the study. The dates' flesh composition analysis showed that the dates contain a high percentage of carbohydrate (total sugars, 65-68%). The measured mean glycemic indices of the dates among healthy individuals were 54.0, 53.5, 46.3, 49.1 and 55.1 for Fara'd, Lulu, Abu Ouma'n, Dabbas and Khalas, respectively. Corresponding mean glycemic indices among individuals with type 2 diabetes were very similar 46.1, 43.8, 51.8, 50.2, and 53.0. Thus the tested five varieties of the dates are classified as low glycemic index food items with potential health benefits for healthy and diabetic individuals alike.

Interventions

OTHERGlucose

Each healthy and Diabetic volunteers received 50 grams of glucose

OTHERDates

Each healthy and diabetic volunteers received 50 grams equivalent of carbohydrates of each of the five selected dates, on five separate days.

Study design

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

PARALLEL

Masking

SINGLE (Subject)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Age

18 Years to 60 Years

Healthy volunteers

Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Adult * Healthy or having controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus

Exclusion criteria

* Morbid obesity (BMI \> 40) * Presence of gastroenterological disorders * Alimentary tract surgery * A history of gastroenteritis in the prior six months * Any disease that may affect glucose metabolism * Alcohol intake * Smoking * Taking any medications (except metformin) * Poorly uncontrolled diabetes (HbA1c \> 8%) * The presence of chronic diseases or the presence of acute illness

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Dates Glycemic Index	4 months	Measuring the composition of dates, selection of patients and carrying out the study

Countries

United Arab Emirates

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 29, 2026