O032 - ACUTE EFFECTS OF LEGUME-ENRICHED MEALS COMPARED TO WESTERN MEALS ON THE POSTPRANDIAL METABOLIC RESPONSE IN MEN AND WOMEN AT INCREASED RISK FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES

O032

ACUTE EFFECTS OF LEGUME-ENRICHED MEALS COMPARED TO WESTERN MEALS ON THE POSTPRANDIAL METABOLIC RESPONSE IN MEN AND WOMEN AT INCREASED RISK FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES

T. Schiemann^1,*, C. Diekmann¹, C. Kopp¹, B. Stoffel-Wagner², M. Coenen², R. Németh³, S. Egert¹

¹Institute of Nutritional and Food Sciences, Nutritional Physiology, University of Bonn, ²Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Pharmacology, ³Institute of Medical Biometry, Informatics and Epidemiology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany

Rationale: Legumes are a key source of plant-based protein and a central component of the Planetary Health Diet (PHD). This study investigated the acute effects of legume-enriched PHD meals, compared with animal protein-based Western Diet (WD) meals, on postprandial metabolic responses.

Methods: In a randomized crossover design, 30 participants with elevated cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk (e.g., age 63.2 ± 1.2 years; BMI 30.5 ± 0.5 kg/m²) ingested four isoenergetic meals (1,000 kcal) providing either 36 or 62 g of protein (low vs. high), derived primarily from plant-based sources (legume-enriched PHD meals) or animal sources (WD meals). Venous blood samples for parameters of lipid and glucose metabolism and of inflammation were collected at fasting and over a 6-hour postprandial period.

Results: All meals induced significant postprandial increases in glucose, insulin, triglycerides, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), glucagon, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) (time effects, P<0.001). Triglyceride responses were attenuated following legume-enriched PHD meals (P=0.002) and high-protein meals (P<0.001). High-protein meals resulted in reduced postprandial glucose concentrations (P=0.031) while legume-enriched PHD meals attenuated the insulin response (P=0.017). Concentrations of GLP-1 (P<0.001) and glucagon (P=0.001) were higher after high-protein meals. No effects of protein intake or dietary pattern were observed for IL-6.

Conclusion: In individuals with elevated CVD risk, high-protein meals reduced postprandial lipaemia and glycaemia, independent of the dietary pattern. Plant protein–rich meals, primarily from legumes, further lowered triglyceride and insulin responses compared to animal protein, suggesting that increasing legume-derived protein in a meal may help attenuate postprandial metabolic responses.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared