Scientists have reported on the connection of legumes with heart health and metabolism

Beans, lentils, chickpeas and peas may occupy a more prominent place in the diet, beneficial for the heart and metabolism. American researchers have found a link between the consumption of these products and a lower prevalence of cardiometabolic diseases. What the work has shown, why scientists are interested in legumes and how to include them in the usual menu — in the material of Izvestia.

What the researchers found

The authors analyzed data on 46,939 Americans aged 20 and over, collected as part of the NHANES National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 1999-2018. They compared the consumption of legumes with the presence of heart disease, stroke and diabetes, taking into account the peculiarities of lifestyle and diet.

Each additional ounce equivalent of legumes in the daily diet was associated with a 19% lower statistical chance of having at least one of the diseases under consideration. However, no statistically significant relationship was found for individual diagnoses in the main model. Therefore, the results cannot be presented as evidence that beans prevent heart attack or diabetes.

The 19% figure itself also requires careful reading. The authors evaluated the odds ratio, a statistical value that differs from the probability of disease. It cannot be automatically translated into the promise of "getting sick 19% less often" or into the number of prevented cases.

Why doesn't communication mean protection from illness?

The study was cross-sectional: scientists compared nutrition and health status, rather than observing the appearance of new diseases after changing the menu. This approach helps to detect a pattern, but does not establish its cause. In such studies, it is difficult to determine what happened earlier: a change in eating habits or the development of the disease.

For example, a person could start eating differently after diagnosis. Another situation is also possible: a certain menu is accompanied by a whole set of habits that affect health. Even taking into account many factors does not turn observational data into an experiment where researchers purposefully change the diet and compare the results.

Which legumes were studied and how much is it in a regular serving

The amount in the study was expressed in ounce equivalents — special units of accounting for products. These are not ordinary ounces of mass. One such equivalent corresponds to a quarter measuring cup of cooked beans, peas or lentils. Therefore, it is incorrect to recalculate the research indicator directly into 28 g of product. This is also not a personal food allowance established by work.

Why are legumes interesting for the heart

Beans and lentils have features that explain the attention of experts to this group of products. They contain vegetable protein, dietary fiber, and minerals. The American Heart Association recommends including legumes in a healthy diet and notes that replacing some red meat with them can help lower cholesterol.

It is the composition of the entire menu that matters here. If beans replace part of a meat dish, the ratio of protein, fiber, and fat sources changes. Therefore, when evaluating the benefits, it is worth looking not only at the appearance of a new product in the plate, but also at what place it has taken among the rest.

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One possible mechanism is related to soluble fiber. During digestion, it retains water and forms a gel-like mass that slows down the digestion of food. Such fibers are present, in particular, in beans, lentils and peas. According to MedlinePlus, soluble fiber helps lower cholesterol levels.

There is also research data in which the nutrition of the participants was really changed. A meta-analysis published in May 2026 in the Journal of the American Heart Association combined 38 randomized trials involving 2,095 people. The median duration was six weeks, and the amount of legumes was 130 grams per day. On average, the level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, which is often called "bad", decreased by 0.14 mmol/l compared with the control diet.

This result refers to the blood count. It supports interest in legumes as part of a heart-healthy diet, but by itself it does not mean that participants suffered fewer heart attacks in six weeks. To evaluate such outcomes, different timelines and research designs are needed.

How are legumes related to sugar levels?

Fiber is also important for glucose metabolism. As the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains, the body does not break down and digest it in the same way as other carbohydrates. Soluble fiber slows down digestion and helps control blood sugar levels. In addition, fiber-rich foods can keep you feeling full longer.

At the same time, beans and lentils contain not only dietary fiber, but also digestible carbohydrates. Their presence in the dish does not mean that you can stop taking into account the portion size and the rest of the meal.

The US National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases includes beans among the fiber-rich carbohydrate foods that can be included in the diet for diabetes. The amount and time of meals at the same time depend, among other things, on treatment, physical activity and other diseases. Therefore, general recommendations about the benefits of legumes and an individual nutrition plan solve different tasks.

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How to add beans and lentils to the usual menu

To get acquainted with legumes, it is not necessary to rebuild the entire kitchen. Some of the cooked chickpeas can be added to a vegetable salad, beans can be added to soup or stewed vegetables. Lentils are suitable for thick soup, and mashed chickpeas are suitable for spreading bread or adding vegetables.

Canned beans can also be a convenient option. The American Heart Association advises choosing foods without added salt or with a lower sodium content. Ordinary canned beans can be thrown into a colander and rinsed to remove some of the sodium.

When choosing a dish, it is worth considering its other ingredients. The name "with beans" does not yet describe all its properties: the finished product may contain salty sauce, meat additives or a large amount of fat. The composition and serving size provide more information than the presence of a single beneficial ingredient.

Why not immediately increase the portions

Legumes sometimes cause gas formation and bloating. According to NIDDK, some carbohydrates contained in food are not fully digested in the stomach and small intestine. When they reach the colon, the bacteria break them down to form gas.

A sharp increase in the amount of fiber can increase discomfort. Therefore, it is recommended to add foods rich in it gradually, over several weeks. In practice, you can start getting to know beans or chickpeas with a small amount in a familiar dish, observing the tolerance.

If the discomfort persists regularly, it is better to discuss the selection of products and portions with your doctor. In some diseases of the digestive system, fiber recommendations require individual adjustments.

Legumes are more convenient to consider as one of the ways to make your daily diet more diverse. Beans in soup, lentils in a side dish, or chickpeas in a salad allow you to include vegetable protein and fiber in dishes that are already familiar. Such a change does not require waiting for a definitive answer to the question of how much percent it will affect the future risk of illness.