P.E.I. potato board says hypertension study needs perspective

A new study linking potatoes and increased risk of high blood pressure is being viewed with caution by the P.E.I. potato board and a local nutritional scientist.

The study, published by the BMJ (formerly known as the British Medical Journal), said people who eat four or more servings of baked, boiled or mashed potatoes a week had an 11 per cent higher risk of developing hypertension. That was compared to people who ate one serving or less a month.

• Potato consumption linked to high blood pressure

Researchers based at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School followed more than 187,000 American men and women for more than 20 years. Participants returned a questionnaire with updates on their health every two years, and another about their eating habits, including potato consumption, every four years.

Source of potassium

But some in the industry on P.E.I. say when it comes to potatoes, the pros outweigh any possible cons.

"There's many many studies that show the benefits and it's always important to put them in perspective," said Greg Donald of the P.E.I. potato board.

There's many many studies that show the benefits and it's always important to put them in perspective. Greg Donald

Donald says while potatoes have health benefits, including being a good source of potassium, those sometimes get lost under layers of cheese, bacon, butter and salt.

He says the board tries to promote potatoes as part of a broader, healthy diet.

"We always encourage best use, certainly the benefits but also the best use and in combination with other proper nutritious healthy foods and also lifestyle as well."

Kathy Gottschall-Pass of UPEI says the study shouldn't discourage Islanders from putting potatoes on their plates.

The nutritional scientist says the study suggests more information is needed.

"It's a good study, but it's not a perfect study," she said. "There's a lot of better kinds of studies you can do, for example a clinical trial, which would give us better evidence about whether or not this correlation actually exists."

'Good place to start'

Gottschall-Pass says the study is a "good place to start" and that potatoes have their place in a healthy diet.

"I think if Canadians, Islanders continue to consume lots of fruits and vegetables, so getting seven to eight servings to even 10 servings every single day, of a wide variety of different things and potatoes can be one of those things."

The study reported that there was a higher risk of hypertension only in women, and not in men.

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