Soy and legumes should be eaten, as they prevent high blood pressure. A suitable amount is 8–10 tablespoons per day.
Legumes include, for example, chickpeas, which are often used to make hummus. According to a recent study, you should eat plenty of legumes. Adobe Stock / AOP
According to a recent study, eating soy and legumes promotes health by lowering the risk of high blood pressure. Legumes include, for example, different types of beans and the Finnish summer delicacy pea.
Legumes and soy have already been linked to a lower risk of vascular diseases. Now a new study highlights their blood pressure-reducing effect.
Research is published in BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health magazine and is peer-reviewed. The research was conducted as a combined data analysis based on previous research materials.
According to that study, the optimal amount of legumes per day is about 170 grams, which corresponds to about 8–10 tablespoons per day.
THE FACTS
Legumes and soy foods
- Several food products are made from soybeans, such as tofu, tempeh, soy meal and strips, soy flour, soy milk, soy yogurt, soy sauce, soy cream and soy ice cream.
- Legumes are a diverse group of plants belonging to the pea family, whose seeds are formed inside the legume.
- Legumes include, for example, peas, broad beans, beans, lentils, chickpeas and peanuts.
The study compared people who ate little legumes to those who ate a lot of legumes. Those who ate a lot of legumes had a 16 percent lower risk of developing high blood pressure than others.
In addition, those who ate a lot of soy had a 19 percent lower risk of developing high blood pressure, which means that soy seems to be slightly more effective than legumes in preventing high blood pressure. According to the study, this benefit is greatest when 60–80 grams of soy are eaten per day. A higher amount of soy per day no longer offered any more health benefits.
Soybean or edamame bean is an annual legume from East Asia that grows best in a sunny and sheltered place. Adobe Stock / AOP
Nutrients in the background
According to the researchers, the research result can be explained by the fact that legumes and soy contain a lot of potassium, magnesium and dietary fiber, all of which are known for their blood pressure-lowering properties.
In addition, according to the researchers, previous, recent research results have indicated that the fermentation of the soluble fiber of legumes and soy produces short-chain fatty acids that affect the expansion of blood vessels. In addition, the isoflavone content of soy seems to help lower blood pressure.
– Larger follow-up studies are needed for further confirmation. However, these findings provide additional evidence to support dietary recommendations. Legumes are still consumed below dietary recommendations in Europe and the UK, with average intakes of just 8 to 15 grams per day, researchers say.