FRIDAY, May 8, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- High legume and soy consumption is associated with a lower risk for hypertension, according to a review and meta-analysis published online May 7 in BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health.
Michael Metoudi, R.D., from Plant-Based Health Professionals UK in London, and colleagues conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the association between legume and soy consumption and the risk for hypertension. The meta-analysis included 12 prospective studies.
The researchers found that the summary relative risk for hypertension in association with high versus low intake was 0.84 and 0.81 for legumes and soy, respectively. The summary relative risk per 100 g/day was 0.88 and 0.76 for legumes and soy, respectively, in the linear dose-response analyses. For legumes, the test for nonlinearity was not significant, suggesting a linear reduction in risk up to about 170 g/day; there was indication of nonlinearity for soy, with most of the reduction in risk seen up to intake of about 60 to 80 g/day. For legumes, there was an indication of publication bias with Egger's test, but two outlying studies explained this finding. The likelihood of causality was considered probable for legumes and soy in relation to hypertension risk using World Cancer Research Fund criteria.
"Although further large-scale cohorts are needed for confirmation, these findings provide further evidence in support of dietary recommendations to the public to prioritize and integrate legumes and soy foods as healthy protein sources in the diet," the authors write.
