About 830 million people are living with diabetes across the world, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Among these, more than 95% of people have type 2 diabetes (T2D). Lifestyle factors, including play a crucial role in the rising number of incidences. Eating a diet that is rich in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains is one of the most recommended diets to lower the risk of diabetes, and also manage it. But did you know a certain vegetable can actually increase your risk?
A new study led by researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that a certain vegetable can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes, but it depends on the preparation. The findings of the study are published in the BMJ. A vegetable that can increase the risk of (T2D)
The vegetable in question is potatoes! Yes, that’s right. But here’s the catch: how you cook really matters. Only cooking it in a certain way increases the risk of T2D. And guess what? Most of the population is obsessed with this preparation method. Yes, that’s right. French fries were associated with the risk, while other forms, including baked, boiled, and mashed, were not. The researchers also found that swapping any form of potato for whole grains may lower the risk of T2D.French fries are not on your friend’s list
Though previous studies have shown the link between potatoes and T2D, the evidence was inconsistent. They also lacked the details about the cooking method and the potential effects of substituting with other foods. “Our study offers deeper, more comprehensive insights by looking at different types of potatoes, tracking diet over decades, and exploring the effects of swapping potatoes for other foods. We’re shifting the conversation from ‘Are potatoes good or bad?’ to a more nuanced—and useful—question: How are they prepared, and what might we eat instead?” lead author Seyed Mohammad Mousavi, postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Nutrition, said in a statement. The study The researchers studied the diets and diabetes outcomes of over 205,107 participants for more than 30 years. The participants were also given dietary questionnaires regularly to know the frequency with which they consumed certain foods, including French fries, baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes, and whole grains. Their health diagnoses, including T2D, and various other health, lifestyle, and demographic factors, were also documented. During the study, 22,299 participants developed T2D.Findings The researchers found that three servings of French fries a week increased the risk of developing T2D by 20%. They also noted that eating whole grains such as whole grain pasta, bread, or farro instead of baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes could reduce the risk of T2D by 4%. Also, swapping French fries with whole grains can reduce the risk by 19%. Even swapping refined grains for French fries was estimated to lower T2D risk.“The public health message here is simple and powerful: Small changes in our daily diet can have an important impact on the risk of type 2 diabetes. Limiting potatoes, especially limiting French fries and choosing healthy, whole grain sources of carbohydrate, could help lower the risk of type 2 diabetes across the population,” corresponding author Walter Willett, professor of epidemiology and nutrition, said.
“For policymakers, our findings highlight the need to move beyond broad food categories and pay closer attention to how foods are prepared and what they’re replacing. Not all carbs or even all potatoes are created equal, and that distinction is crucial when it comes to shaping effective dietary guidelines,” he added.
