​Generous intake of legumes may help cut down an individual's risk of developing colorectal cancer.

The aim of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis of cohort studies that investigated the association between dietary intake of legumes and colorectal cancer development risk. A team of researchers from China and the United States looked at nutritional and clinical data extracted from 14 cohort studies that examined a total of 1,903,459 subjects and 12,261 cases of colorectal cancer.

Researchers found a low prevalence of colorectal cancer among regular consumers of legumes. The results of this study show that higher intake of legumes is associated with decreased risk of colorectal cancer.