Health
How Potato Prep Affects Diabetes Risk
Health Points
- Cooking method matters for type 2 diabetes risk.
- Regular French fry intake was linked to a higher risk, while boiled, baked, or mashed potatoes were not.
- Swapping potatoes for whole grains reduced estimated diabetes risk.
In a long-term study of health professionals, three weekly servings of French fries were associated with about a 20% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, while boiled, baked, or mashed potatoes showed no significant link.
Replacing three weekly servings of potatoes with whole grains was estimated to lower diabetes risk by about 8%, and swapping fries for whole grains lowered risk by about 19%.
“One big issue was that many of those studies didn’t look at how the potatoes were prepared—like fries versus boiled—or what people were eating instead,” said Seyed Mohammad Mousavi, PhD.
“For example, deep frying food, such as in the case of potatoes to make French fries, increases the fat content of the food, which can impact digestion, absorption, and disease risk,” said Alyssa Tindall, RD, PhD.
Small changes—eat fries less often, bake instead of frying, and choose whole grains—can help lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and improve overall diet quality.
