Conclusions: This meta-analysis shows that whole grains and legumes were inversely associated with liver cancer.

Associations between food groups and liver cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies, BMC Nutrition Journal, 22 June 2023

Each additional daily 50 g whole grains intake was associated with a 23% decreased liver cancer.

Increased intake of whole grains and their component bran has been reported to have beneficial effects on diseases related to liver disease and liver cancer, including glycemia, insulin sensitivity, metabolic regulation, and reduced inflammation, etc [51,52,53,54,55]. Therefore, increasing intake of whole grain and bran may protect against liver cancer by mitigating the carcinogenic effect of hyperinsulinemia and inflammation. Also, experimental studies showed that whole grain may exert its potential antitumor (including cancers of colorectum and liver) activity through improvement of gut integrity and alteration of gut microbiota composition [56,57,58].

Legumes contain a variety of phytochemicals, such as phytoestrogens, mostly isoflavone (genistein and daidzein) and lignans as well as saponins and phytosterols [59]. Anticancer effect of long-term genistein intake has been linked to suppressing hepatocellular carcinoma initiation and development through AMPK-mediated anti-inflammation and pro-apoptosis [60]. Besides genistein, legumes saponins may produce the anticancer effect through inhibition of hepatocellular carcinoma cells growth, direct cytotoxity, induction of apoptosis, antiestrogenic activity, etc [61,62,63,64]