Potatoes May Lower Blood Pressure In People With Obesity

Purple potatoes, in small servings a day may help lower blood pressure up to 4% without causing any weight gain at all. Based on a report published in the ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the decrease in blood pressure may be considered insignificant but it is sufficient to reduce the risk of developing several types of heart disease.

Joe Vinson and his colleagues who are authors of the study further point out that while Americans consume more potatoes than any type of vegetable, they rarely eat the purple variety. Purple-skinned potatoes are known to have high antioxidant content, this is why Koreans regard this variety as a part of folk medicine and as an effective remedy to lose weight.

Vinson’s study was made of 18 test volunteers who were all overweight for their age and height and were all noted to have high blood pressure readings. These participants ate 6-8 small servings of purple potatoes twice in a day for four weeks and then switched to eating no purple potatoes for another 4 weeks. Researchers monitor their blood pressure as well as body weight and various health indicators.

There was a decrease by 3.5% on blood pressure readings and none of the participants gained weight. Vinson relates the results of this study to other research that this type of potatoes may have substances that are similar to ACE inhibitor medications which are used in hypertension. There is still a chance that there may be other chemicals responsible for potatoes’ anti hypertensive effects and if white potatoes may also have the same effect.

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