A recent study published in The Journal of Nutrition finds that potato consumption moderately reduces the risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease-specific mortality in adults. Study: Potato consumption and all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality – a long-term follow-up of a Norwegian cohort . Image Credit: Pixel-Shot / Shutterstock.
com Potatoes are a staple food in many traditional diets and, as a result, are one of the most commonly consumed vegetables globally. Potatoes are a rich source of potassium, vitamin C, dietary fibers, and many bioactive compounds, all of which are vital nutrients with cardiovascular health benefits. Despite containing essential nutrients, potatoes are generally not considered a recommended vegetable due to their high starch content.
In fact, potato intake has been linked to cardiometabolic disease risk due to their high glycemic index. The most recent Nordic Nutrition Recommendations have mentioned including potatoes in regular diets; however, no quantitative guideline has been provided due to the lack of evidence. Moreover, previous studies investigating associations between potato intake and risk of cardiovascular disease-specific mortality have produced mixed results.
The current population-based prospective cohort study was conducted in three Norwegian counties: Northern, South-Western, and Central Norway. A total of 77,297 adult individuals between 18 and 64 years of age were enrolled in the study. Study participants w.