Higher legume, soy intake linked to lower hypertension risk

A new pooled analysis of prospective studies has found that higher consumption of legumes and soy foods is associated with a reduced risk of developing high blood pressure, identifying optimal daily intakes of about 170 grams of legumes and 60 to 80 grams of soy.

The research, published in the open-access journal BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health, drew from 10 publications encompassing data from 12 observational studies involving roughly 300,000 participants worldwide. These studies, conducted in the United States, China, Iran, South Korea, Japan, France and the United Kingdom, tracked participants ranging from 1,152 to more than 88,000 individuals, recording between 144 and 35,375 cases of hypertension.

Researchers reported that people with the highest legume intake were 16 percent less likely to develop high blood pressure compared to those with the lowest intake. For soy foods, the reduction was 19 percent. The risk decreased linearly with legume consumption up to around 170 grams per day, equivalent to about one cup of cooked beans, peas, chickpeas or lentils. For soy products like tofu, soy milk, edamame, tempeh or miso, most benefits appeared at 60 to 80 grams daily, or...