Type 2 diabetes patients often do not reach desired control of glycemia despite guidance on changing lifestyle and diet as well as the use of conventional anti-diabetic medication. Parallely in recent years, an array of comparative clinical studies have demonstrated the anti-diabetic effect of more than 10 common spices and food products. Objectives: to evaluate whether proposing a choice of spices and foods products with hypoglycemic effect to diabetic patients can help better control diabetes.

Diabetic type II patients would be encouraged to eat what they like within a list of food products with hypoglycemic effect, at a similar dosage and preparation mode than the one in the reference clinical trials.

This pilot project will be conducted as a randomized controlled trial with 2 arms over 12 weeks: 1. training patients about hypoglycemic spices and foods alongside their usual anti-diabetic treatment, versus usual anti-diabetic treatment alone.

Expected results: Confirmation of the hypothesis that daily consuming spices and foods with hypoglycemic effect to diabetic patients can help better control diabetes.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Type 2 diabetes patients with poorly controlled glycemia, i.e. at least one of the following measurements:

  1. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) values ≥ 7.0 mmol/L (126 mg/dl), or 2-h post-load plasma glucose ≥ 11.1 mmol/L (200 mg/dl), or HbA1c > 6.5% (48 mmol/mol); or a random blood glucose ≥ 11.1 mmol/L (200 mg/ dl), despite ≥ 3 months usual care (lifestyle + medication if applicable).

Exclusion criteria:

1. Severe and unstable complications of diabetes: end-organ damage such as nephropathy, retinopathy, neuropathy, etc...
2. Patients with rapid insulin,
3. Any health condition that requires urgent attention,
4. Patients with a cognitive or sensory impairment that may prevent conducting the interview,
5. HbA1c > 11.5%
6. Pregnant women

IPD will be kept in a safe location in Khon Kaen University hospital. It will be available in an anonymous manner upon request and after deidentification.

April 2023 up to April 2033

It will be accessible to any researchers or reviewers who might review the data and perhaps perform some new data analysis. The decision will be in the hands of the Principal investigator and colleagues in Khon Kaen University, plus health and ethical authorities following legislation.