Review: Non-Soy Legumes Tied to Slightly Lower LDL and Total Cholesterol
A systematic review with meta-analysis pools 31 randomised controlled trials on eating non-soy legumes. Total cholesterol fell by 5.2 mg/dL on average and LDL cholesterol by 3.5 mg/dL. The overall drop in triglycerides was not significant, and HDL cholesterol did not change.
1. What the Research Says
The search covered Scopus, PubMed and Web of Science up to August 2024. In trials lasting less than eight weeks and in participants with a body mass index below 30, triglycerides fell significantly in the subgroup analyses, by about 3 mg/dL. HDL cholesterol did not change in any subgroup either. The review is registered with PROSPERO, where no funding and no conflicts of interest are declared.
2. How It Fits Earlier Research
Earlier meta-analyses point in the same direction. In ten trials, total cholesterol fell by 11.8 mg/dL and LDL cholesterol by 8.0 mg/dL (2011); in 26 trials, LDL cholesterol fell by 0.17 mmol/L (2014). An older analysis of eleven trials also found 16.6% lower triglycerides, while HDL cholesterol did not change significantly there either (2002). The new, larger review confirms the drop in cholesterol, with a smaller effect. Non-soy legume consumption lowers cholesterol levels: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. (2011) · Effect of dietary pulse intake on established therapeutic lipid targets for cardiovascular risk reduction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. (2014) · Pulses and lipaemia, short- and long-term effect: potential in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. (2002)
3. Source
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