More Legumes and Soy Foods Mean Lower Blood Pressure
Hypertension is the leading risk factor for stroke, which we’d all like to avoid if possible. A recently published large data analysis in the open-access journal BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health finds that eating more beans and soy foods may help reduce the chance of developing high blood pressure.
Scientists discovered that individuals who regularly included beans, lentils, chickpeas, tofu, edamame, and soy milk in their diets had less risk of developing high blood pressure. The biggest impact was seen with 170 grams of legumes daily and 60 to 80 grams of soy-based foods daily.
Beans, chickpeas, lentils, and peas are all legumes, while edamame, miso, soy milk, tempeh, and tofu are all soy-based foods.
Combined Data from Multiple Countries
Past research has associated legume and soy food intake with better heart health, but evidence specifically linking to lower blood pressure has not been consistent. Researchers evaluated studies published through June 2025.to better understand the relationship.
The data reviewed included 10 published studies with evidence from 12 long-term observational studies done in the US, Europe, and Asia. Five studies were from the US, five from China, Iran, South Korea, and Japan, and two were from France and the UK.
Both men and women were included in nine of the studies; two had only women, and one included just men. Studies included between 152 subjects to 88,475 subjects. High blood pressure cases were from 144 to over 35,000.
Lower Hypertension Risk Seen with Higher Intake
A clear link between higher consumption of legumes and soy foods and decreased risk of developing high blood pressure was observed after researchers evaluated the data.
Those with the highest legume consumption were 16% less likely to become hypertensive. compared to individuals eating the lowest amounts. A 19% reduction in risk was seen for soy foods.
The scientists also evaluated how the risk changed with the amount eaten. For legumes, the risk of developing high blood pressure increased consistently up to 170 grams daily, eventually reaching about 30%.
With soy food intake, most of the benefit was seen between 60 and 80 grams daily, lowering risk by nearly 28% to 29%. Additional benefits were not observed by eating more soy beyond that level.
The intake of legumes and soy was not unreasonable. According to the researchers, 100 grams of legumes or soy equals 5 to 6 tablespoons of cooked beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas. For soy foods, this is roughly a palm-sized portion of tofu.
The Reason Legumes and Soy May Help Blood Pressure
World Cancer Research Fund evidence grading criteria were used by the researchers, who concluded that the data suggest a likely causal link between higher consumption of legumes and soy foods and a lower risk of high blood pressure.
A few plausible reasons for the finding include that legumes and soy foods are high in potassium, magnesium, and dietary fiber, nutrients known to reduce blood pressure.
The scientists also stated that recent studies suggest soluble fiber from legumes and soy can be fermented in the gut to make short chain fatty acids. These substances may help blood vessels relax and widen. Soy foods also contain isoflavones, plant compounds that may support lower blood pressure.
Study Limitations
The authors found many limitations in the analysis. The studies varied in the types of legumes eaten, cooking methods, overall diet patterns, and what was considered “high” blood pressure. Amount consumed also differed significantly between studies.
"Despite these limitations, the findings of this meta-analysis have major public health implications, given the alarming global increase in hypertension prevalence," they wrote.
According to the researchers, average legume intake across Europe and the UK is still far below recommended levels.
"Current legume consumption across Europe and the UK remains below dietary recommendations, with average intakes of only 8-15 g/day, far below the recommendations of 65 to 100 g/day recommended for overall cardiovascular health," they added.
"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 researchers concluded.
Findings Support Plant-based Eating
Professor Sumantra Ray, chief scientist and executive director of NNEdPro Global Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health, which co-owns BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health, stated, "This research strengthens the evidence base for the cardioprotective benefits of plant-based diets. The authors have significantly added to the case for using legumes and soy as primary dietary strategies to mitigate the global burden of hypertension”.
Ray also enforced the study’s dose-response analysis. This helped discover reasonable intake targets that could be used in dietary guidelines and clinical care. More research is needed to evaluate the plateau in soy benefits beyond 60 to 80 grams per day.
He concluded, "But we can't entirely rule out the influence of unmeasured influential factors. And the plateauing of benefits for soy at 60-80 g/day warrants further investigation, as it remains unclear if this reflects a true biological limit or is a byproduct of the smaller number of studies available for analysis."
Below are ways to get more legumes and soy in your diet:
· Replace almond or other plant-based milk with soy milk.
· Add black beans to breakfast burritos in place of bacon or sausage.
· Mix peas with rice or other grains as a side dish.
· Replace chicken or beef in stir-fries with firm tofu.
· Try silken tofu in a smoothie or dessert recipe.
· Add chickpeas or white beans to tuna salad.
· Enjoy hummus and fresh vegetables for a snack.
· Add kidney beans, black beans, or chick peas to green or grain salads.
· Reduce meat in chili and add an additional can of beans.
· Try roasted soy nuts for a snack in place of chips or pretzels
Lisa Andrews, MEd, RD, LD
Reference:
Michael Metoudi, Isabelle Sadler, Shireen Kassam, Dagfinn Aune. Legume and soy consumption and the risk of hypertension: a systematic review and dose–response meta-analysis of prospective studies. BMJ Nutrition, Prevention, 2026; e001449 DOI: 10.1136/bmjnph-2025-001449