When we think of a healthy vegetable, we never think of potatoes. This food is famous for cause weight gain and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. However, American researchers have carried out a study that may overturn the arguments against this tuber. The work, published in the scientific journal 'Journal of Medicinal Foods'shows that potatoes are full of health-giving nutrients, denies that its consumption increases the risk of diabetes and states that it would be a perfectly permitted food within a diet. However, researchers explain that it must be consumed in a certain way.
As Candida Rebello, assistant professor at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana (USA) and author of the study, explains, it has been shown that, contrary to popular belief, “potatoes do not have a negative impact on blood glucose levels”. In fact, the researcher and nutritionist stated that people who participated in the research managed to lose weight. “People tend to eat the same weight of food, regardless of calorie content, to feel satisfied,” explains Rebello. “By eating heavier, lower-calorie foods, you can easily reduce the number of calories you consume.”
The key aspect of the research was not reducing portion sizes of meals, but their calorie content, including potatoes. Each participant's meal was tailored to their caloric needs, but by replacing some of the meat content with potatoes, participants felt full more quickly and often didn't even finish the meal. “In fact, you can lose weight with little effort by including this food in your dishes,” said Rebello.
The study involved 36 participants aged 18 to 60 who were overweight, obese or insulin resistant.. They were fed controlled diets of widely available foods. This includes beans, beans, peas and meat or fish, or potatoes with meat or fish. Previous studies have shown that eating beans and peas improves blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes. To increase the dietary fiber component of potatoes, they were boiled with the skin intact and then refrigerated for 12 to 24 hours..
Potatoes were incorporated into lunch and dinner starters. “We prepare the potatoes in a way to maximize their fiber content. When we compare a potato-based diet with a bean and pea-based diet, we find that both are equal in terms of health benefits”, explains Rebello. Furthermore, highlighted the researcher, “potatoes are a very cheap vegetable to incorporate into the diet”.
Another study carried out by Boston University and published in Journal of Nutritional Sciences examined the influence of potatoes as part of the overall diet and lifestyle patterns on the risk of cardiometabolic diseases. The researchers did not observe changes in metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors associated with the consumption of fried or non-fried potatoes.
Lynn L. Moore, Associate Professor of Medicine at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, said the study looked at the effects of increased potato consumption on blood pressure, lipids and glucose after taking into account other dietary and health factors. Lifestyle.
the research team did not find an association between the consumption of this tuber and type 2 diabetes, high basal glycemia, hypertension and dyslipidemia in a large population of healthy adults over 30 years of age. On the other hand, they found that those who consumed a greater amount of potatoes also ate 25% plus fruits and vegetables in totalcompared to those who consumed less potato.
The effects of eating potato chips have been modified by other dietary and lifestyle factors. According to their findings, people who consumed higher levels of potato chips but were also more physically active had a 25% lower risk of type 2 diabetes than the other groups. Those with the highest consumption of French fries and the lowest consumption of red meat had 26% less risk of having high triglyceride levels.
The study authors remember that potatoes are rich in potassium, magnesium and dietary fiberall this can protect against heart attacks and strokes which are a consequence of high levels of cardiometabolic risk. In fact, they are one of the most important sources of potassium in the diet.
