Research in Medicine

Abstract Background: Diet as one of the most important lifestyle factors play an important role in the control and treatment of diabetes and related outcomes. Among dietary factors legumes as a functional food are rich source of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, polyphenols and other antioxidants. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of legume intake in therapeutic lifestyle change (TLC) diet on inflammatory markers in type 2 diabetic patients. Materials and methods: In this randomized crossover trial, 24 subjects with type 2 diabetes in the age range of 50 to 80 years were selected. The subjects were randomly assigned to two groups receiving TLC (control) or the TLC diet with legumes (replacing meat with 2 servings of legumes in their TLC diet, three days a week). Period of each diet was 8 weeks with a 4 week wash out period. At the beginning and end of two dietary periods, fasting blood samples were taken to measure the fasting plasma glucose and inflammatory markers C-reactive protein and tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 (IL-6, CRP, TNF-α). Results: In both diets after 8 weeks intervention fasting plasma glucose, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 significantly decreased compare with baseline values (p<0.05). Compare with TLC diet, TLC diet with legume significantly decreased CRP and TNF-α (p<0.05). Conclusion: Replacement of 2 servings of legumes instead of meat 3 days a week in the TLC diet resulted in improved inflammatory markers CRP and TNF-α. Keywords: Type 2 diabetes, Legumes, Fasting blood glucose, Inflammatory markers, Tumor necrosis factor-alpha, C-reactive protein, Interleukin-6, Therapeutic lifestyle change diet.