Consumption of Legumes and Risk of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease and Gallstones among...

The aim of this study was to identify and map the literature regarding human consumption of legumes and potential relationships with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and gallbladder diseases. Consuming legumes might reduce lipid accumulation in the liver, while potentially impeding the functionality of the bile duct and gallbladder. As dietary trends shift toward promoting legume consumption, exploring the positive and negative impacts on hepatobiliary health becomes crucial. This scoping review explored the intake of dietary pulses and legumes (excluding broader dietary patterns) and its relation to hepatobiliary diseases such as MASLD, gallstones, gallbladder removal, and gallbladder inflammation, among individuals above the age of 2 years. The reviewed material included textbooks, expert opinions, and the articles identified in searches in 4 databases (PubMed, CINAHL Complete, Embase, and Web of Science). In addition, unpublished studies and gray literature sources were sought out. Two reviewers independently extracted the data from each article. The synthesis of the results is here presented narratively by outcome. Of the 19 881 records retrieved, 29 were included-17 on MASLD and 12 on gallstones. Most studies were observational, but a few were narrative reviews. The results were extremely heterogeneous. The few high-quality studies on legume consumption and MASLD observed lower risk, as did the one high-quality study on legumes and gallstones. Most studies were of moderate to poor quality, and confidence in the findings was assessed as low. Legume consumption is likely to be associated with lower risk of MASLD. The association between legume consumption and gallstones was difficult to evaluate, due to the low number of high-quality studies. Further research is needed to draw firmer conclusions.