New research presented at the European Atherosclerosis Society Congress suggests a simple dietary swap can significantly reduce heart disease risk. Scientists from the UK Biobank study found that replacing just one daily serving of processed meat-about 67 grams-with an equivalent amount of pulses such as beans, lentils, or chickpeas is associated with a 13% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 15% lower risk of ischemic heart disease.
The analysis tracked 118,272 adults with no history of cardiovascular disease for an average of 12 years. The average pulse intake at baseline was only 13.2 grams per day. During follow-up, researchers recorded 9,794 cardiovascular events.
Replacing processed poultry with pulses yielded the strongest benefits for CVD. Swapping total red meat for pulses cut IHD risk by 10%. However, replacing unprocessed meat did not show significant results.
The authors emphasize that these findings support shifting dietary guidelines toward greater pulse consumption and less processed meat intake to improve cardiovascular health in middle-aged populations.