Glendale, CA — Nestlé USA, Inc. has donated $500,000 to the Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner Research Institute, funding a collaborative study focused on the effects of a diet rich in whole grains on energy metabolism and body composition.

In a 26-week study beginning this month, 40 to 50 people will eat meals provided by Nestlé, with one group’s carbohydrates coming from whole grains and the other’s coming from refined grains. Then, the two groups will switch diets, and researchers will examine any changes in metabolism.

The company says this will help define the scientific basis for product development, and results are expected to build on Nestlé’s existing research suggesting a diet rich in whole grains has potential nutritional benefits.