They found adults who had a higher intake of boiled, baked or mashed spuds and fries had an increased risk of hypertension. A weekly diet which includes at least four servings of the humble potato is linked to an increase in the risk of high blood pressure, say researchers. But consumption of potato chips was associated with no increased risk. Compared with consumption of less than one serving a month, participants who consumed at least four servings a week had an increased risk of hypertension of 11 per cent for boiled, baked or mashed potatoes and of 17 per cent for French fries. Replacing one serving a day of boiled, baked, or mashed potatoes with one serving of a non-starchy vegetable is associated with a lower risk of developing hypertension, the US-based researchers said in a study published online in the British Medical Journal.

Source: New Zealand Herald May 17, 2016 19:26 UTC