Eating three servings of French fries a week may increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 20%, according to new research. However, consuming similar amounts of boiled, baked, or mashed potatoes does not substantially raise this risk.
The study, published in The BMJ, analyzed data from over 205,000 health professionals and found that replacing potatoes with whole grains reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes. In contrast, swapping potatoes for white rice increases the risk.
Researchers note that while French fries have a high glycemic index due to their starch content, other preparation methods like boiling, baking, or mashing do not significantly raise the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
To address this, scientists investigated the association between potato preparation methods and carbohydrate substitution. They found that for every three weekly servings of total potatoes, the rate of type 2 diabetes increased by 5%, while consuming French fries increased it by 20%.
In contrast, replacing whole grains with baked or boiled potatoes lowered the risk by 4%, whereas swapping them with white rice increased it by 11%. The study highlights the importance of considering preparation methods and substitution when evaluating potato intake.
While the findings align with current dietary recommendations, researchers caution that future studies from more diverse populations are needed to confirm these results.
Source: https://bmjgroup.com/three-weekly-servings-of-french-fries-linked-to-higher-diabetes-risk