Can pulses play a role in improving cardiometabolic health? Evidence from systematic reviews and meta-analyses

Obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) present important unmet prevention and treatment challenges. Dietary pulses are sustainable, affordable, and nutrient-dense foods that have shown a wide range of health benefits in the prevention and management of these conditions. Despite these findings, recommendations for pulse intake continue to vary across chronic disease guidelines, and intake levels continue to remain low. Here, we summarize findings from recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses assessing the relationship between dietary pulse consumption and cardiometabolic health and assess the overall strength of the evidence using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation tool. We conclude that systematic reviews and meta-analyses of prospective cohort studies assessing the relationship between legumes and the risk of coronary heart disease appear to provide moderate-quality evidence of a benefit, and several systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials assessing the effect of pulses on cardiometabolic risk factors provide low-to moderate-quality evidence of a benefit. There remains an urgent need, however, for more high-quality prospective cohort studies and large, high-quality, randomized trials to clarify the benefits of dietary pulses in the prevention and management of overweight/obesity, diabetes, and CVD.