Meta-analysis of 31 trials: legumes lowered total cholesterol by 5.159 mg/dl and LDL by 3.475 mg/dl
A systematic review of 31 randomized trials found lower total and LDL cholesterol with regular legume intake, while HDL and triglycerides did not change significantly overall.
According to lomazoma.com, a systematic review and meta-analysis pooled the results of 31 randomized clinical trials that examined regular intake of non-soy legumes lomazoma.com
lomazoma.comlomazoma.comOpen source ↗. The article links the findings to hummus, but the review itself covered legumes in general.
Regular legume intake lowered total cholesterol by an average of 5.159 mg/dl and LDL cholesterol by 3.475 mg/dl. Across all trials, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides showed no significant change.
Meta-analysis results
Signs of lower triglycerides appeared in some subgroups: interventions shorter than eight weeks and participants with a body mass index below 30. This points to context-dependent factors rather than a universal, immediate effect.
US cardiologist Marshal Runge cited data from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: people who ate 100 g of legumes four times a week had a 14 percent lower risk of ischemic heart disease lomazoma.com
lomazoma.comlomazoma.comOpen source ↗. Prof. Ulrich Laufs stated that switching from a mixed diet to a fully vegan one can lower LDL cholesterol by up to 10 percent on average, and that in severe metabolic syndrome reductions of 20 to 30 percent are possible.
Limits and mechanism
According to the article, in familial hypercholesterolemia diet cannot lower cholesterol effectively. Individual substances such as garlic, ginger, bran, pectin, turmeric and artichoke showed no benefit beyond placebo in studies.
Dietary fiber is named as the main mechanism of legumes. The German Nutrition Society (DGE) recommends at least 30 g per day for adults; according to the National Consumption Study II, 75 percent of women and 68 percent of men fall short of this, with average intakes of 18 g for women and 19 g for men.
Hummus is traditionally made with sesame paste (tahini) and olive oil. Data from a long-term study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology show that eating more than 7 g of olive oil daily for 28 years was associated with a 19 percent lower risk of cardiovascular death compared with low intake lomazoma.com
lomazoma.comlomazoma.comOpen source ↗. According to the US Department of Agriculture, one tablespoon of olive oil (about 14 g) provides about 119 kcal. The article notes that hummus does not replace therapeutic measures for genetic risk factors.
