BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a main cause of mortality throughout the world. CVD is related to life style. Legumes are one of the dietary factors that have nutritional and functional factors and play an important role in attenuating CVD risk factors. Legume consumption (at least 4 times a week) is associated with 22% lower risk for CHD and 11% lower risk for CVD. In this paper, we reviewed the presented articles about non soy legumes and CVD risk factors.

METHODS:We used PubMed search engine for this review and searched words including legume intake/consumption, bean/pea consumption, CVD/cardiovascular risk factors and inflammation in All Field. We achieved 346 papers. After limiting repeated articles and studies about soy and soy isoflavonoids, peanut, nuts, animal studies, children studies, cancer, renal disease and allergy, finally we reviewed 30 papers in this issue.

FINDINGS:Legume consumption can improve blood lipid profile. In addition, legume ingestion has positive potential effect on blood glucose levels, blood pressure, inflammation status and anthropometric indices. It seems that legumes have more beneficial effects on lipid profile than other CVD risk factors. However, the effects of legumes on other risk factors are important and needs more investigations.

CONCLUSION:Increasing non soy legume consumption is an appropriate approach for improving CVD risk factors and thus can reduce the incidence of CVD events among societies.