Potatoes are one of the world’s most commonly consumed foods – and are a high source of potassium.
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For the study, published online in The British Medical Journal, the team followed over 187,000 men and women from three large USA studies for more than 20 years. They argue that the study is too broad and that in the majority of cases high blood pressure is a effect of the fixings poured on top of the potatoes, not the vegetables themselves.
The findings suggest, no matter whether you eat mashed, baked, boiled potatoes or french fries, your risk of developing hypertension is still high if you eat them more than three times a week.
Eating potatoes four or more times a week could increase the risk of high blood pressure according to a study.
Borgi and her team tracked over 187,000 men and women who participated in three large US studies that carried out over 20 years. All the participants were enrolled in three long-running U.S. studies: The Nurses’ Health Study, the Nurses’ Health Study II and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study.
Dietary intake, including frequency of potato consumption, was assessed using a questionnaire, while hypertension was reported by participants based on diagnosis by a health professional.
The research also found that replacing potatoes with non-starchy vegetables improved blood pressure by 7%.
A new study has suggested that eating too many baked potatoes is just as likely to increase the risk of high blood pressure as eating too many chips.
Even one serving a week appeared to increase the risk by 20% and those eating more than five servings a week had a 50% increased risk.
Several nutritionists do not agree with the theory that potato consumption increases blood pressure.
Potatoes are known to have a higher glycemic index-a measure of how carbohydrates raise blood sugar-among other vegetables, which can cause a spike in blood sugar levels.
“Our findings have potentially important public health ramifications, as they don’t support the health benefits of including potatoes in government food programs”, Borgi said.
New research, published this week in The BMJ, puts a worrying new slant on a global staple – the humble potato.
“We will continue to rely on prospective cohort studies, but those that examine associations between various dietary patterns and risk of disease provide more useful insights for both policy makers and practitioners than does a focus on individual foods or nutrients”, they conclude.
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It is only an association that is seen between potatoes and blood pressure, and Dr. Borgi and the team can not suggest that potatoes cause hypertension. This might explain the link between potato consumption and hypertension.
