This Harvard Study on Potatoes Shocked Experts. Should You Rethink Your Next Meal?

Key Points:

• A BMJ study found that consuming three servings of French fries per week increases the risk of type 2 diabetes by up to 20 percent, while baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes did not significantly affect diabetes risk.
• The research, based on data from over 205,000 people tracked for 30 years, also showed that replacing fries with whole grains reduced diabetes risk by 19 percent.
• Experts suggest the increased risk linked to fries may be due to weight gain from their high palatability and the unhealthy dietary context in which fries are often consumed, including refined starches, fats, and sugars.
• Frying alters the nutritional quality of potatoes and produces less healthy chemicals, but potatoes themselves are nutrient-dense and can be part of a balanced diet when prepared healthily and eaten with protein and vegetables.
• Occasional French fry consumption is not discouraged, but experts recommend favoring roasted or baked potatoes and avoiding fries as a standalone snack to reduce type 2 diabetes risk.