As a staple foodPotatoes are healthy because of their nutrients– but in moderation. Because overdoing it on potatoes can increase your risk of three serious health conditions, explains Harvard Health. The reason for this is the high carbohydrate content. But what are the risks of eating too many potatoes? You will find out in the following lines.
Eating potatoes in large quantities: diabetes and obesity
Carbohydrates are digested very quickly by the body. This causes blood sugar and insulin to rise and fall quickly. For this reason, the root vegetables are also at the top of the list for theglycemic index. This affects blood sugar levels and can lead to type 2 diabetes in the long term. The quick digestion of the vegetables also ensures that you get hungry again a short time later. So potatoes don't keep you full for long. Because of this, obesity is another risk factor.
“The rollercoaster-like effect of a high dietary glycemic load can cause people to feel hungry again soon after eating, which can then lead to overeating,” warns Harvard Health. “In the long term, diets rich in potatoes and similar fast-digesting, carbohydrate-rich foods can contribute to obesity, diabetes and heart disease.”
Potatoes in moderation for weight control
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine tracked the diet and lifestyle habits of 120,000 men and women for up to 20 years. She found that people who increased their consumption of French fries, ate more mashed potatoes or baked potatoes gained weight over time. In contrast, those who reduced the amounts or increased the amounts of other vegetables gained less weight.
Increased risk of heart disease
In three large Harvard Medical School studies of 187,000 men and women, researchers compared people who ate less than one serving of baked, mashed or boiled potatoes, chips or chips per month and those who ate four or more servings per week took themselves. Those with the larger amounts had up to 11 percent higher risk of high blood pressure. For fries it was even 17 percent.
However, Victoria Taylor, senior dietitian at the British Heart Foundation, points out that the nature of the study has some limitations. “This type of study can only show a connection, not cause and effect. “So we cannot conclude that potatoes cause high blood pressure, and we cannot explain the cause of the study’s results.”
