Potatoes are one of the most popular foods around the world.
They’re tasty, easy to cook, and can be part of many meals.
But some people have worried that eating too many potatoes might raise blood pressure or lead to weight gain.
Older research suggested that potatoes could be linked to high blood pressure and obesity. However, those studies didn’t really take into account how the potatoes were prepared or what kinds of foods were eaten with them.
To get a clearer answer, researchers from Imperial College London looked at this issue more closely. They studied 2,696 adults between the ages of 40 and 59 from the United States and the United Kingdom. These people were part of a larger health project called the INTERMAP study.
The researchers wanted to know how different potato dishes affect blood pressure and body weight. They looked at all kinds of potato meals—boiled, mashed, baked, mixed dishes, and fried. They also paid attention to how healthy the overall meals were.
Here’s what they found. Eating potatoes in general—like boiled or mashed—did not seem to change blood pressure or body weight. This means that if you enjoy baked potatoes or a bowl of mashed potatoes, you probably don’t need to worry about them causing health problems.
But things were different when it came to fried potatoes, especially for women in the U.S. Women who ate more fried potatoes had slightly higher blood pressure and higher BMI, which is a measure of body fat. This effect was not seen in men.
The researchers also noticed something else. Fried potatoes were more likely to be a problem when they were part of less healthy meals.
For example, if fried potatoes were served with food high in fat, salt, or sugar, they were linked to higher blood pressure. But if the rest of the meal was healthy—like including vegetables or lean proteins—the fried potatoes didn’t have the same negative effect.
So what’s the takeaway? If you enjoy potatoes, the way you cook them matters. Boiled, baked, or mashed potatoes don’t seem to raise blood pressure or cause weight gain. But eating a lot of fried potatoes, especially as part of an unhealthy diet, may raise your risk—at least for some women.
If you are concerned about blood pressure, there are other things to keep in mind. Some studies suggest that Vitamin C and certain herbs may help lower blood pressure. Eating less added sugar and more fiber can also help. There’s also research on how probiotics may support healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
This study, led by Ghadeer S Aljuraiban, was published in the journal Clinical Nutrition. It reminds us that it’s not just about what we eat—but also how we cook it and what we eat it with. Even a common food like potatoes can have very different effects depending on how it’s prepared.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about This daily food is very important for blood pressure and heart health and Common blood pressure medication may have harmful side effects.
For more about blood pressure, please read studies about This alcohol treatment could help treat high blood pressure and How blood pressure changes with age.
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