A growing number of scientists believe that what people eat every day may strongly influence whether they develop high blood pressure later in life.
A major new study now suggests that common plant foods such as beans, lentils, chickpeas, and tofu may help protect the heart and blood vessels better than many people realize.
The findings come from a large analysis published in BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health. Researchers found that people who regularly consumed more legumes and soy foods had a significantly lower risk of developing high blood pressure.
High blood pressure, also called hypertension, affects more than a billion people worldwide. It is often described as a “silent killer” because many people have no symptoms until serious complications appear.
Over time, high blood pressure can quietly damage arteries and organs, increasing the risk of heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, and dementia.
Doctors have traditionally focused on reducing salt intake and encouraging exercise to lower blood pressure. But growing evidence suggests that certain foods may actively help the body maintain healthier blood vessel function.
Legumes are a group of foods that include lentils, peas, beans, and chickpeas. Soy foods include products such as tofu, soy milk, tempeh, miso, and edamame.
These foods are rich in protein and are widely used in vegetarian and plant-based diets. In many parts of Asia, soy foods have been eaten regularly for centuries.
To better understand the link between these foods and blood pressure, researchers reviewed studies published up to June 2025. They identified 12 major observational studies from different countries and combined the results into one large analysis.
The studies included participants from the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, Iran, France, and the United Kingdom. Together, the studies followed hundreds of thousands of adults over time.
When researchers examined the combined data, they found that people who consumed the highest amounts of legumes were 16% less likely to develop high blood pressure than those who consumed the least.
The findings for soy foods were even slightly stronger. People with higher soy intake were 19% less likely to develop hypertension.
Researchers also estimated how much intake seemed to produce the greatest benefit.
For legumes, the reduction in risk continued steadily up to around 170 grams per day. That amount is close to a full cup of cooked beans or lentils.
For soy foods, the strongest benefit appeared between 60 and 80 grams daily. Eating larger amounts did not appear to lower risk further, although scientists are not yet sure why.
The researchers believe the nutrients found in these foods may explain the results.
Legumes and soy are naturally rich in potassium, magnesium, and fiber. Potassium is especially important because it helps counterbalance sodium, which can raise blood pressure. Magnesium helps blood vessels relax, while fiber improves overall metabolic and heart health.
Scientists are also increasingly interested in the relationship between gut bacteria and heart health. Fiber from legumes and soy can be fermented by healthy bacteria in the digestive system. This process produces substances called short-chain fatty acids that may help widen blood vessels and reduce inflammation.
Soy foods may also provide unique compounds called isoflavones. These plant chemicals may improve blood vessel flexibility and support healthier blood pressure levels.
The researchers concluded that the overall evidence points toward a likely causal relationship between eating more legumes and soy foods and having a lower risk of hypertension.
Still, they also pointed out several important limitations.
Not all studies measured food intake in the same way. Different countries use different cooking methods and portion sizes. Some participants may also have followed healthier lifestyles overall, which could partly explain the lower blood pressure risk.
Because the studies were observational, they cannot completely prove that legumes and soy directly prevented hypertension.
Even so, experts say the findings are meaningful because they are consistent with many earlier studies showing that plant-based diets benefit heart health.
The study also highlights how low legume intake remains in many Western countries. In parts of Europe and the UK, average daily intake is far below recommended levels.
Researchers say increasing legume intake could become an inexpensive and practical public health strategy because beans, lentils, and peas are generally affordable and widely available.
Professor Sumantra Ray of the NNEdPro Global Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health said the study strengthens the evidence supporting plant-based eating patterns for cardiovascular protection.
He also noted that the research provides realistic dietary targets that may eventually help shape future nutrition guidelines.
Looking at the findings overall, the study appears valuable because it gathered evidence from many countries and very large populations. The dose-response analysis is also useful because it gives people practical information about how much intake may be helpful.
However, future studies are still needed to confirm whether the relationship is truly causal and to better understand why soy benefits appeared to level off above 80 grams daily.
Even with these unanswered questions, the research sends an encouraging message. Small dietary changes may have a powerful effect on long-term health. Choosing foods like beans, lentils, tofu, and chickpeas more often may not only support heart health but also help lower the growing global burden of high blood pressure.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and natural coconut sugar could help reduce blood pressure and artery stiffness.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies about How to eat your way to healthy blood pressure and results showing that Modified traditional Chinese cuisine can lower blood pressure.
Source: BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health.
