Results of a recent British study pointed to the necessity of including more legumes in daily meals to help address high blood pressure as a public health problem. The study notably linked increased legume consumption with a lower risk of developing high blood pressure. According to what was published in the May issue of the BMJ Journal of Nutrition, Prevention and Health, researchers from King's College London, the University of Winchester, and Imperial College London used data from 12 studies involving nearly 90,000 people. The results of this comprehensive analytical study indicated that consuming 170 grams of legumes daily is associated with a reduction in blood pressure of up to 30 percent.

The researchers said: 'According to the results of several previous studies, legume consumption has been associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, and previous studies have also linked legume consumption with beneficial levels of micronutrients and reduced inflammation.' But as the researchers said: 'Currently, the evidence regarding the relationship between legume consumption and reducing the risk of high blood pressure remains unclear.' This prompted them to conduct this recent study, especially since legume consumption in Europe and the United Kingdom, as they reported, remains below dietary recommendations. According to them, the average daily consumption is only 8 to 15 grams, far below the recommended daily amount of 65 to 100 grams to maintain cardiovascular health.

Advantages of Lupins

Among all types of legumes, lupin seeds are considered a nutritional treasure compared to all others, for the following reasons:

1. Lupin contains the highest percentage of plant protein (up to 40 percent). More importantly, lupin provides high-quality protein by including all nine essential amino acids, compared to other types of legumes. Specifically, at a much higher percentage than peas, fava beans, or common beans.

2. Unlike most traditional legumes such as chickpeas, lentils, beans, and fava beans (which are rich in starch and cause a rise in blood sugar because their carbohydrate content ranges between 50 and 60 percent), lupin is characterized by a low carbohydrate content of less than 10 percent (this will be explained later).

3. Lupin offers the highest percentage of dietary fiber (about 30 percent) compared to any other commonly consumed legumes. More importantly, lupin contains twice the amount of fiber found in most regular legumes (which typically range between 15-20 percent). Lupin also contains prebiotic fiber that feeds beneficial gut bacteria.

4. Unlike most legumes, lupin is naturally free of anti-nutritional factors such as lectins, phytic acid, and trypsin inhibitors. This makes digestion and absorption of nutrients much easier for the body.

5. The most beautiful thing about lupin is that it causes less gas and bloating compared to many other legumes. This is mainly due to its much lower content of indigestible carbohydrates (raffinose family oligosaccharides, RFOs), which are the main cause of abdominal bloating from eating legumes.

6. Lupin does not contain gluten-forming proteins, and it is suitable for making gluten-free foods for people with celiac disease.

Health Properties

In a study published in the November 10, 2023 issue of the journal Molecules, Italian researchers from the University of Milan said: 'The excellent composition of lupin seeds and their flour imparts numerous health benefits to lupin-based foods, thanks to their anticancer, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties.'

They added, in summary, that four types of lupin legumes are cultivated: white lupin, yellow lupin, blue lupin, and Andean lupin, widely grown globally due to the excellent nutritional composition of their seeds. The first thing they addressed scientifically was proteins. They said: 'Lupin seeds are characterized by a high protein content (ranging from 28 to 48 g/100 g of lupin seeds depending on the type, variety, growing conditions, and soil type); this is much higher than the protein content in other legumes such as lentils, peas, chickpeas, and fava beans.'

In a Portuguese study on lupin seeds, published in the December 5, 2022 issue of the journal Molecules, researchers from the University of Porto and the University of Coimbra reported: 'Lupin proteins have garnered significant attention due to their functional and nutritional effects on products to which they are added. Some of these functional properties include protein solubility, swelling capacity, foaming, and gelation.' For clarification, the functional physicochemical properties of proteins determine the behavior of proteins during consumption and their mouthfeel. For example, solubility and swelling are essential properties. Highly soluble proteins are homogeneously distributed in water during cooking. The high water absorption and binding capacity of the protein leads to swelling of proteins and ease of chewing and swallowing.

The Portuguese researchers added: 'In addition to quantity, protein quality primarily depends on the amino acid composition and digestibility. In lupin seeds, albumin and globulin are the two most important proteins, in an approximate ratio of 1:9.'

On the other hand, many studies have revealed promising applications of lupin proteins in treating health disorders, due to their effects on lipid and glucose metabolism, as well as blood pressure levels. Other interesting aspects of lupin protein functions are their potential effects on inflammatory processes and changes in the gut microbiome, which significantly influences many physiological indicators, including metabolism, nutrient absorption, and immune function.

Contents of Lupin

Lupin seeds contain high levels of dietary fiber (about 75 percent of which is insoluble in water), whether before or after dehulling (a common step before milling).