With low or no-carbohydrate diets rising in popularity in recent times, the humble potato is now regularly overlooked in favour of other vegetables.<\/p>\n
In fact, research literature has previously indicated potatoes may have a detrimental effect on health, such as possibly increasing the likelihood of developing Type 2 diabetes.<\/p>\n
However, new Edith Cowan University (ECU) research has shown while spuds may not have all the same benefits as some other vegetables \u2014 such as lowering risk of Type 2 diabetes \u2014 health issues associated with potatoes may actually be due to how people are preparing them and what they\u2019re eating them with.<\/p>\n
More than 54,000 people reported their dietary intake for the long-term Danish Diet, Cancer and Health study.<\/p>\n
A recent analysis of this study led by Dr Nicola Bondonno from ECU\u2019s Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute, found people who consumed the most vegetables were 21 per cent less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than those who consumed the least amount of vegetables.<\/p>\n
PhD candidate Pratik Pokharel carried out work on the analysis and said while potatoes didn\u2019t have the same impact on Type 2 diabetes, they also didn\u2019t have any negative effect.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn previous studies, potatoes have been positively linked to incidence of diabetes, regardless of how they\u2019re prepared \u2014 but we found that\u2019s not true,\u201d Mr Pokharel said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn Denmark, people consume potatoes prepared in many different ways; in our study, we could distinguish between the different preparation methods.\u00a0When we separated boiled potatoes from mashed potatoes, fries or crisps, boiled potatoes were no longer associated with a higher risk of diabetes: they had a null effect.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Pokharel said underlying dietary patterns were the key.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn our study, people who ate the most potatoes also consumed more butter, red meat and soft drink \u2014 foods known to increase your risk of Type 2 diabetes,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you account for that, boiled potatoes are no longer associated with diabetes. It\u2019s only fries and mashed potatoes, the latter likely because it is usually made with butter, cream and the like.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Pokharel said people should be advised to increase their vegetable intake \u2014 and they could include potatoes, so long as they left out some of the unhealthy extras such as butter, cream and oil.<\/p>\n
\u201cPotatoes have fibre and nutrients, which are good for you. People talk about carbs being bad, but it\u2019s more about the type of carbs you\u2019re having; compared to something like white rice, boiled potatoes are a good quality of carbohydrate,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut just take care how you prepare them: don\u2019t eat fries, or mash with extras in it all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
With low or no-carbohydrate diets rising in popularity in recent times, the humble potato is now regularly overlooked in favour of other vegetables. In fact, research literature has previously indicated potatoes may have a detrimental effect on health, such as possibly increasing the likelihood of developing Type 2 diabetes. However, new Edith Cowan University (ECU) […]<\/p>\n