Potatoes can bring many health benefits to our health.
They are a good source of vitamin B6 and a good source of potassium, copper, vitamin C, manganese, phosphorus, niacin, dietary fiber, and pantothenic acid.
However, eating too many potatoes may put people’s health at risk. In a recent study, researchers find that higher potato intake is related to increased risk of high blood pressure. The finding is published in BMJ.
Researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health conducted the study.
They focused on whether higher eating of baked or boiled potatoes, French fries, or potato chips was associated with the incidence of high blood pressure.
Researchers analyzed data from three large studies in the US. A total of 62,175 women in the Nurses’ Health Study, 88,475 women in Nurses’ Health Study II, and 36,803 men in Health Professionals Follow-up Study were included.
Researchers measured the incident cases of high blood pressure from self-reports or healthcare diagnosis.
They found that compared with consumption of less than 1 serving a month, the hazard ratios for more than 4 servings a week were 1.11 for baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes, 1.17 for French fries, and 0.97 for potato chips.
To be simple, participants who did not have high blood pressure at baseline, and consumed four or more servings a week of potatoes – boiled, baked or mashed – later had a higher risk of developing hypertension compared to those who consumed one or less than one serving a month.
Moreover, replacing 1 serving a day of baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes with 1 serving a day of non-starchy vegetables was associated with decreased risk of high blood pressure.
Researchers suggest that higher intake of baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes and French fries is associated with a higher risk of high blood pressure in both men and women.
Citation: Borgi L, et al. (2016). Potato intake and incidence of hypertension: results from three prospective US cohort studies. BMJ, 353. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.i2351.
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