2024-09-01 09:46:06
Regular consumption of potatoes can reduce the risk of mortality, according to researchers from Norway. However, the method of preparation is crucial.
Whether boiled, fried, mashed or in a stew: potatoes are an essential part of German cuisine. But they have more to offer than just taste: researchers from Norway have discovered that the vegetable is healthier than previously thought – and can apparently even prolong life.
According to this, eating potatoes every day can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Specifically, people who ate two potatoes a day had a twelve percent lower risk of mortality. These findings come from an extensive study that examined the eating habits of more than 77,000 adults over four decades. Men in particular benefited from this type of diet.
“It turns out that those who ate at least two potatoes a day in the 1970s and 80s had a 12 percent lower mortality rate over the next 40 years. Eating more potatoes was also associated with lower mortality from heart disease,” said Erik Arnesen, study author and researcher at the University of Oslo’s Institute for Basic Medical Research.
Interestingly, these positive effects persisted even after factors such as gender, BMI and lifestyle habits such as smoking and exercise were taken into account. For every additional daily portion of 100 grams of potatoes – about a medium-sized tuber – the risk of mortality fell by four percent. This also applied to heart disease.
According to researchers, potatoes are healthy because they are rich in potassium, vitamin C and fiber – all important nutrients for the heart. Previous studies have shown an increased risk of type 2 diabetes with frequent consumption of potatoes. However, these also included French fries and mashed potatoes, the study authors emphasized.
The crucial point is the method of preparation: the new findings apply to simple, boiled potatoes, which are particularly rich in nutrients, and not to fried or mashed potatoes, which usually contain a lot of both fat and salt.
Overall, it can be seen that anyone who regularly eats cooked potatoes – whether jacket potatoes or otherwise gently prepared – can reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease and possibly live longer.