Beans, tofu cut hypertension risk at modest amounts

Clinical Takeaway: About 1.5 cups of cooked beans or lentils daily, plus a modest serving of tofu or edamame, gives patients a practical, low-cost target for hypertension prevention alongside standard cardiovascular risk reduction.

Nutrition counseling for hypertension often breaks down at the point where patients ask a simple question: "What should I actually eat?" Clinicians can explain sodium reduction, fiber, and healthy dietary patterns, but the advice frequently stays abstract. This meta-analysis moves closer to something more usable, identifying specific intake ranges for legumes and soy foods linked to lower hypertension risk.

The findings were consistent across both food categories. People with the highest legume intake had a 16% lower risk of hypertension compared with those eating the least, while higher soy intake was associated with a 19% lower risk.

The investigators also identified dose-response patterns that could help translate dietary counseling into concrete goals. Hypertension risk continued to fall as legume intake increased up to roughly 170 g/day — about 1.5 cups of cooked beans or lentils. For soy foods, most of the observed benefit appeared at 60-80 g/day, close to a modest serving of tofu or edamame, with little additional reduction beyond that point. The amounts are achievable within ordinary eating patterns, suggesting that small but consistent dietary shifts may matter more than extreme changes that patients struggle to maintain.

The analysis pooled 12 prospective cohort studies examining whether people who ate more legumes or soy foods developed hypertension less often over time. Foods included beans, lentils, chickpeas, peas, tofu, soybeans, and fermented soy products such as natto.

These foods combine fiber, potassium, magnesium, plant protein, and bioactive compounds such as isoflavones, all of which have been linked to lower blood pressure. Emerging evidence also suggests gut microbiome fermentation of soluble fiber may improve endothelial nitric oxide signaling and vascular function.

"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," said Sumantra Ray, MBBS, chief scientist and executive director of the NNEdPro Global Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health.

Source: Metoudi M. BMJ Nutr Prev Health. 2026 May 7. Legume and soy consumption and the risk of hypertension: a systematic review and dose–response meta-analysis of prospective studies