Want To Enhance Your Heart Health? A Cooked Potato Might Be The Solution.
New research led by Neda Akhavan, an assistant professor in UNLV’s Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences, reveals that potatoes may provide considerable cardiovascular advantages to adults with Type 2 diabetes, defying the vegetable’s often-discredited reputation among dieters.
Akhavan’s study, which was recently presented to the Alliance for Potato Research and Education, discovered that eating baked potatoes, when properly prepared, can help drop blood sugar levels and slim waistlines. “I like doing research on food items that are highly stigmatized in the nutrition world,” Akhavan told me. “Most people associate the potato as something that is mostly fried or has a lot of fat, and we wanted to shine a light on how a potato, when prepared properly, can be both functional and healthy.”
The study included 24 people with well-controlled Type 2 diabetes. Each participant was given a 100-gram baked potato with skin, which included 20 grams of carbohydrates, to consume as a snack or side dish on a regular basis. A control group was given a similar amount of white rice. The 12-week trial assessed glucose management and cardiometabolic health.
Participants who ate potatoes had a slight decrease in fasting blood glucose levels, improvements in body composition and waist circumference, and a decrease in resting heart rate. “The results from our study provide evidence that white potatoes can be healthfully incorporated in the diet of individuals with Type 2 diabetes when substituted for other foods with a high glycemic load, such as long-grain white rice,” Akhavan told me. “There were also no negative effects on measured health outcomes, and some cardiometabolic health advantages were observed, which was consistent with what we expected to see. Therefore, diabetics should not shy away from potatoes.”
Akhavan highlighted the value of moderation and preparatory practices. “Potatoes are a very versatile food and can be eaten with most types of cuisines, but you want to make sure to incorporate them into a well-rounded diet,” she told me. She also mentioned the benefits of potato skins, which are high in dietary potassium and resistant starch, both of which have been shown to improve glycemic management and satiety.
Akhavan intends to broaden the study to include a more diverse participant population and investigate the effects of potato consumption within a Mediterranean dietary pattern. “A lot of people are shocked to learn that a potato has a higher level of potassium than a banana,” she told me. “Believe it or not, baked potatoes are among the most satiating items consumed in the Western diet. And, when baked, it helps us feel fuller all day.”
The news is issued as a press release on the Eureka Alert website.
