Many of the traditional Christmas meals are often served with potatoes. Neither the Christmas rib nor the lutefish would hardly have been the same without it? But the vegetable is not widely known to be the healthiest. The reason is that potatoes consist of a good amount of starch. This starch can lead to an increase in blood sugar, and is linked to the risk of developing diabetes type 2. It also does not help that low-carb diets have increased in popularity recently. But now researchers have put Beate and Laila under the microscope again, and they have come to the conclusion that it is mostly about how you cook them. – In previous studies, potatoes have been linked to the occurrence of diabetes, regardless of preparation, but we have found that this is not correct. Research fellow Pratik Pokharel says so in a press release. Diet and disease The researchers have taken the data from a Danish study which was carried out between 1993–1997 as a starting point. It was started to investigate the connection between diet and the incidence of various diseases. More than 54,000 people reported their own food intake during a five-year period. And now researchers have analyzed these data again. The results show, among other things, that those who ate the most vegetables had a 21 percent lower risk of developing diabetes type 2. Do you eat boiled potatoes? Yes, almost every day Maybe once a week Very rarely Show result Boil, mash or roast? In both Norway and Denmark, the potato is a regular part of the diet. And we use him in many different ways. Pratik Pokharel explains that in the new study they had the opportunity to distinguish between the different ways to use the potato. – When we separated boiled potatoes from mashed potatoes and French fries, the vegetable was no longer linked to a higher risk of diabetes, says the fellow. It is more about the underlying dietary patterns. – In our study, we saw that people who consumed a lot of potatoes also ate more butter, red meat and drank more soft drinks. These are foods that are known to increase the risk of diabetes type 2. Take this into account, boiled potatoes are no longer the problem. Both French fries and mashed potatoes are often mixed with other unhealthy foods, such as butter and cheese, explains the researcher. Has this guy got an undeserved bad reputation? Photo: Ronald Hole Fossåskaret / news That’s why you should eat your vegetables According to the researchers, the new study shows that vegetables in general can play a key role in reducing the risk of diabetes. People who ate a lot of spinach, lettuce, broccoli and cauliflower had a much lower risk. Pokharel believes this context should be better communicated to the people. And so should the benefits of eating potatoes – as long as you ignore the butter, oil and oil. Still, there is a small but. – When it comes to potatoes, we cannot say that they are beneficial when talking about diabetes type 2. But they also do no harm, if they are prepared in a healthy way. Potatoes have fiber and other nutrients that are good for you, says the researcher.
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New research shows that potatoes have an unjustified bad reputation – it’s all about preparation – news Trøndelag
