Are potatoes hypertensive foods?
According to recent studies, eating a few servings of potatoes each day may help decrease blood pressure. Over the course of 20 years, data from three sizable population studies comprising over 187,000 men and women was evaluated by researchers. They discovered that there was a higher chance of high blood pressure in those who ate four or more portions of baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes.
Their carb content is high.
Although potatoes have long been a mainstay of many diets, a recent study indicates that eating them may increase your risk of high blood pressure. Any type of potato, whether baked, boiled, or mashed, was found to be associated with increased blood pressure in the study that was published in the British Medical Journal. If you consume them four or more times a week, this is particularly true. The good news is that 620 mg of potassium, which lowers high blood pressure, may be found in a medium-white potato.
However, the author of the study advised against consuming junk food potatoes like chips or French fries. This is a result of their high salt content, which raises blood pressure. However, if you cook them in a healthy way—like salad or baked low-sodium fries—they can help control your blood pressure. Additionally, they contain tryptophan, an antioxidant with soothing qualities that can aid in stress reduction.
They have a lot of sodium.
According to a new study, those who consume four or more servings of potatoes each week—whether they be in the form of chips or French fries—have a higher chance of getting hypertension. To reduce the risk of high blood pressure, the researchers—who were affiliated with Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital—suggest substituting non-starchy vegetables for these items.
The study was observational, though, and the subjects provided their own diet information. Furthermore, they did not monitor salt intake, which might have had an impact on the outcomes. It's also difficult to determine what exactly produced the outcomes; more likely, larger food habits played a bigger role than potatoes.
It's crucial to remember that potatoes are only healthy when cooked in a nutrient-dense manner, such as by roasting them with a piece of chicken and seasoning them with black pepper and mint. Additionally, they contain a lot of potassium, which counteracts the negative effects of sodium. Potassium also helps the body get rid of extra salt.
They contain a lot of potassium.
Despite their unfavorable reputation as foods that cause weight gain, potatoes are a nutritious vegetable. Potassium is found in them, which lowers blood pressure and lowers the risk of heart disease. In fact, eating just two servings of potatoes a day can reduce the risk of high blood pressure by up to 20%, according to a recent study.
In the BMJ study, researchers compared individuals who consumed three or four portions of baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes each week, along with a potassium-gluconate supplement, to those who followed a typical American diet that was low in potassium. According to their findings, systolic blood pressure—the uppermost figure that indicates how forcefully your heart beats—was considerably raised by potatoes.
You can get more iron, phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium from eating more potatoes, all of which are beneficial for healthy bones. But be cautious—processed foods like burgers, namkeen, and fries may include harmful fats and a lot of sodium.
They contain a lot of dietary fiber.
Heart attacks and strokes are frequently caused by elevated blood pressure. According to a recent study, consuming potatoes four times a week in any form—baked, boiled, or mashed—may exacerbate this illness. The study, which was published in the BMJ, followed 187,453 participants for more than 20 years. The risk of hypertension was found to be 11% higher in individuals who consumed four servings of boiled, baked, or mashed potatoes per week as opposed to those who consumed fewer than one dish. The study did not discover a link between potato chips and an increased risk of hypertension, though.
Potatoes are high in soluble fiber and include potassium, a mineral that reduces blood pressure. This aids in the body's salt removal. This is especially crucial for people who have hypertension because too much salt can strain blood vessels further. On the other hand, processed, salty snacks like French fries should always be avoided.
