Digging Up the Truth About Potatoes

This St. Patrick's Day we explore the history, nutritional profile, and potential health benefits of potatoes. Potatoes are a major global food staple, providing significant calories worldwide. Though often criticized for their high glycemic index (GI), different cooking methods, particularly chilling after cooking, can increase resistant starches, which improve gut health and reduce blood sugar impact. Potatoes also have a high satiety index, making them more filling than many other foods. While long-term clinical studies are needed, current epidemiological data suggest that potatoes are not linked to negative health outcomes—unless consumed as french fries. Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! podcast. www.MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!References:Sagili, V. S., et al. (2022). The glycemic index and human health with an emphasis on potatoes. Foods, 11(15), 2302. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9368276/Robertson, T. M., et al. (2018). Starchy carbohydrates in a healthy diet: the role of the humble potato. Nutrients, 10(11), 1764. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/10/11/1764?gsid=ba4def2d-71eb-4462-a8ac-9fda238e474bAtkinson, F. S., et al. (2021). International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values 2021: a systematic review. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 114(5), 1625-1632. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916522004944Fuentes-Zaragoza, E., et al. (2010). Resistant starch as functional ingredient: A review. Food Research International, 43(4), 931-942. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0963996910000621Raatz, S. K., et al. (2016). Resistant starch analysis of commonly consumed potatoes: Content varies by cooking method and service temperature but not by variety. Food Chemistry, 208, 297-300. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27132853/Borch, D., et al. (2016). Potatoes and risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease in apparently healthy adults: a systematic review of clinical intervention and observational studies12. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 104(2), 489-498. https://ajcn.nutrition.org/article/S0002-9165(22)04562-2/fulltextMcGill, C. R., et al. (2013). The role of potatoes and potato components in cardiometabolic health: A review. Annals of medicine, 45(7), 467-473. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/07853890.2013.813633Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!