Eating more legume and soy foods may lower your risk of developing high blood pressure, according to a large new analysis published in an open access journal. BMJ Nutrition Prevention and Health.
Researchers have found that people who regularly consume foods such as beans, lentils, chickpeas, tofu, edamame, and soy milk are less likely to develop high blood pressure. The most effective results were found when consuming about 170 grams of legumes per day and 60 to 80 grams of soybean foods per day.
Legumes include foods such as peas, lentils, chickpeas, and beans. Soy foods include tofu, soy milk, edamame, tempeh, and miso.
A major review combining data from multiple countries
Previous studies have linked legume and soy foods to improved overall heart health, but evidence linking them specifically to lower blood pressure is inconsistent. To better understand this relationship, researchers reviewed studies published through June 2025.
This analysis included 10 published papers containing data from 12 longitudinal observational studies conducted in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Five studies were from the United States, five from Asian countries including China, Iran, South Korea and Japan, and two from Europe, particularly France and the United Kingdom.
Nine studies included both men and women, while two focused on women only and one on men only. Study sizes ranged from 1,152 to 88,475 participants. Hypertension cases ranged from 144 to more than 35,000.
The higher the intake, the lower the risk of high blood pressure.
After pooling the data, researchers found a clear link between increasing intake of legumes and soy foods and lowering the likelihood of developing high blood pressure.
Those who ate the most legumes were 16% less likely to develop high blood pressure than those who ate the least. For soy foods, the risk reduction amounted to 19%.
The researchers also looked at how risk varied depending on intake. For legumes, the risk reduction effect steadily increased to about 170 grams per day, eventually reaching about 30%. For soy foods, most benefits occur between 60 and 80 grams per day, reducing risk by approximately 28% to 29%. Eating more soy above that level doesn’t seem to provide any additional benefits.
According to researchers, 100 grams of legumes or soybeans is roughly equivalent to 1 cup or 5 to 6 tablespoons of cooked beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas, soybeans, or 1 palm-sized cup of tofu.
Why legumes and soy improve blood pressure
Using the World Cancer Research Fund’s evidence grading criteria, the researchers concluded that this evidence indicates a possible causal relationship between increased intake of legumes and soy foods and reduced risk of high blood pressure.
They say there are several biologically plausible explanations for this finding. Legume and soy foods are rich in potassium, magnesium, and dietary fiber, and these nutrients are already known to support healthy blood pressure.
The researchers also noted that recent studies suggest that soluble fiber in legumes and soybeans may be fermented in the intestines to produce short-chain fatty acids, compounds that may help relax and dilate blood vessels. Soy foods also contain isoflavones, which are plant compounds that may contribute to lower blood pressure levels.
Researchers note study limitations
The authors acknowledged several limitations in their analysis. The included studies varied in the types of legumes consumed, cooking methods, overall dietary patterns, and definitions of hypertension. Intake also varied widely between studies.
“Despite these limitations, the results of this meta-analysis have important public health implications, given the alarming increase in hypertension prevalence worldwide,” the researchers wrote.
The researchers also noted that average legume intake across Europe and the UK remains well below recommended levels.
“Current legume consumption across Europe and the UK remains below dietary recommendations, with average intakes of just 8-15g per day, far below the recommended intake of 65-100g per day for overall cardiovascular health,” the researchers added.
“While larger cohorts are needed for confirmation, these findings provide further evidence to support dietary recommendations for the public to prioritize legume and soy foods as healthy protein sources in their diets,” the researchers concluded.
Experts say study results support evidence for plant-based diets
Professor Sumantra Ray, co-owner and Principal Scientist and Executive Director of the NNEdPro Global Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health BMJ Nutrition Prevention and Healthsaid the findings add important support to research on plant-based diets and cardiovascular health.
“This study strengthens the evidence base for the cardioprotective effects of plant-based diets. The authors significantly add to the rationale for using legumes and soy as a primary dietary strategy to reduce the global burden of hypertension,” he commented.
He also highlighted that the study’s dose-response analysis helped identify practical intake targets that could be used in dietary guidelines and clinical care.
At the same time, he cautioned that unmeasured factors may still be influencing the results, noting that the plateau in effects of more than 60 to 80 grams of soy per day requires further study.
“However, the influence of unmeasured influential factors cannot be completely excluded, and the plateauing of soybean efficacy at 60–80 g/day warrants further investigation, as it remains unclear whether this reflects a true biological limit or is a byproduct of the small number of studies available for analysis.”
