Potato Intake Is Associated with Risk for Hypertension

Potatoes are rich in potassium, and appropriate potassium intake is associated with diminished risk for hypertension. To assess the relation between potato intake and hypertension, researchers pooled data from three prospective cohort studies (the Nurses' Health Studies and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study) and adjusted for many potential confounding variables (e.g., age, ethnicity, body-mass index, smoking status, physical activity, medications).

Of >187,000 participants without hypertension at baseline, 78,000 participants reported receiving diagnoses of hypertension during follow-up. Participants who consumed ≥1 serving daily of baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes or French fries had excess risk for hypertension compared with those …