A fresh analysis of data from the Raine Study, conducted in Western Australia, indicates that two modest vegetable groups—legumes and cruciferous varieties—may play a disproportionately significant role in shielding young individuals from early cardiometabolic risk, though the benefits seem to differ markedly between men and women. The study’s findings are set to be published in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases.
Existing evidence suggests that not all vegetables are equally beneficial for cardiometabolic health.
The consumption of certain vegetable categories shows a considerably stronger link to enhanced cardiometabolic health markers in adult populations.
Few studies have explored these connections in young adults.
“What you eat right now matters, and opting to include these vegetables in your daily diet can genuinely influence both the length and quality of your life,” stated Lauren Bleckenhorst from Edith Cowan University.
In their research, Bleckenhorst and her team examined data from 638 participants in the long-term Raine Study, an Australian cohort that has been tracked since before birth.
At age 22, participants completed comprehensive dietary questionnaires and underwent clinical assessments, including measurements of blood pressure, waist circumference, cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood sugar—indicators used to identify the risk of developing metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions that heighten the likelihood of cardiovascular disease and diabetes later in life.
Approximately one in five participants fell into the high-risk category, exhibiting two or more of these concerning signs.
“These risk factors emerge earlier than most people might anticipate,” remarked Theresa O’Sullivan, also from Edith Cowan University.
When researchers analyzed vegetable consumption by type—onions, cruciferous vegetables, leafy greens, legumes, and yellow-orange-red varieties—distinct patterns emerged based on sex.
Men classified as low-risk consumed notably more legumes, such as peas, beans, and lentils, compared to men in the high-risk group.
After adjusting for income, education, smoking, alcohol intake, and other dietary factors, men who consumed roughly one additional serving of legumes (75 grams) per day had approximately a 72% lower likelihood of being in the high-risk category.
Among women, the strongest association was found with cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts.
Women with lower cardiometabolic risk ate more of these vegetables, and each extra daily serving was linked to roughly an 85% reduction in the probability of high risk after adjustments.
Women in the low-risk group also consumed more leafy green vegetables, though this connection did not hold after factoring in other variables.
“This isn’t just about loading up on greens,” noted Neil McNamara, also from Edith Cowan University. “We observed very clear gender differences. Beans for men and broccoli for women emerged as the real winners.”
“Our findings indicate that men and women might metabolize certain nutrients and plant compounds from vegetables in different ways,” O’Sullivan added. “For instance, natural compounds in legumes may have a stronger impact on testosterone, whereas compounds in cruciferous vegetables might exert a greater effect on female hormones like estrogen and progesterone.”
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