Past research has hinted at a connection between eating more potatoes and increased risks of high blood pressure and obesity. However, these studies often failed to consider how potatoes were prepared, what other foods were part of the diet, or the overall nutritional quality of meals.
A recent study from Imperial College London highlights the importance of these factors, especially how potatoes are cooked, in understanding their effects on health.
The study explored how potato consumption, cooking methods, overall diet, and meal quality are related to blood pressure and body mass index (BMI).
Researchers analyzed data from 2,696 adults aged 40–59 in the United States and United Kingdom, using information from the International Study of Macro- and Micro-Nutrients and Blood Pressure (INTERMAP). Participants’ dietary habits and health metrics were examined to uncover patterns.
Surprisingly, the study found no direct link between eating potatoes in general—whether boiled, mashed, baked, or included in mixed dishes—and blood pressure or BMI. However, when researchers focused on fried potatoes, the results changed, particularly for women in the United States.
Women who ate more fried potatoes had slightly higher blood pressure, with their systolic blood pressure (the top number) increasing by 2.29 mmHg and their diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) rising by 1.14 mmHg. These effects were observed even after accounting for differences in BMI.
Additionally, eating more fried potatoes was linked to higher BMI in US women, but this connection did not appear in men. The study also revealed that the quality of meals containing fried potatoes made a difference.
Women who consumed fried potato meals with poor nutritional quality were more likely to have higher blood pressure. However, no such link was found when the fried potato meals were part of a well-balanced, nutritious diet.
The findings suggest that fried potatoes may contribute to higher blood pressure and BMI in women, but non-fried potato dishes do not appear to have the same effects. It also highlights the role of overall meal quality—nutrient-rich meals seem to offset the negative effects of fried potatoes.
These results underscore the importance of paying attention to how food is prepared and the quality of the overall diet. While potatoes themselves are not inherently harmful, consuming them in fried forms, particularly as part of low-quality meals, may pose health risks.
This study serves as a reminder that dietary habits are complex, and small changes, like choosing healthier cooking methods or combining fried foods with nutrient-rich sides, could make a difference.
If you are concerned about managing your blood pressure, other studies suggest that incorporating vitamin C, probiotics, or certain herbal supplements into your diet might help. Reducing added sugar intake is another step that may lower blood pressure, as research has shown a strong link between sugar consumption and hypertension.
The findings of this study, led by Ghadeer S. Aljuraiban and published in Clinical Nutrition, provide valuable insights into how simple dietary choices, such as preparing potatoes differently, can impact health.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about unhealthy habits that could increase high blood pressure risk, and eating eggs in a healthy diet may reduce risks of diabetes, high blood pressure.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and results showing 12 foods that lower blood pressure.
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