Eating French fries three times a week significantly increases the risk of diabetes

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According to a study, eating three servings of French fries per week increases the risk of diabetes by around 20 percent. Eating a similar amount of potatoes in boiled, baked, or mashed form is not as harmful, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal. Specifically, it concerns the risk of type 2 diabetes, also known as adult-onset diabetes, which can be caused by predisposition, but above all by obesity and lack of exercise.

Potatoes contain a lot of vitamin C, magnesium, and fiber. Still, they also contain a lot of starch and have gained a reputation in recent years for increasing the risk of diabetes, writes the group of researchers from Harvard and Cambridge Universities, among others. However, the debate has not taken into account the method of preparation or possible alternative carbohydrates that could be eaten instead of potatoes.

To fill this gap, the group evaluated data from various cohort studies in the US conducted between 1984 and 2021 with more than 205,000 healthy healthcare workers. Every four years, these workers underwent detailed surveys about their diet. During the nearly 40 years, around 22,300 participants developed type 2 diabetes. The researchers also included long-term studies from other countries in their analysis.

French fries are significantly more harmful than mashed potatoes

After factoring out other factors that could potentially contribute to diabetes, the researchers concluded that three servings of potatoes per week – all forms of preparation combined – only slightly increased the risk of diabetes, namely by five percent. In contrast, three servings of French fries increased the risk by 20 percent. The authors write that this is likely due to fats and salt, as well as substances produced during frying.

However, when similar amounts of baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes were eaten, no significantly increased risk was found.

So what should you eat?

So, what is the best thing to eat if not potatoes? Whole grain products are best: according to the study, three servings per week are associated with an eight percent lower risk of diabetes than three servings of potatoes. If whole-grain dishes replace French fries, the risk is even 19 percent lower. However, white rice as a substitute fared worse than most potato dishes.

The researchers admit that their observations do not allow them to draw any definitive conclusions about a causal relationship, as other factors that have not been taken into account may also have an influence. It is also questionable whether the findings from healthcare workers can be transferred to different groups. However, the results support current dietary recommendations that promote whole grain products as part of a healthy diet for the prevention of type 2 diabetes.

Despite everything: potatoes have their raison d’être

In a commentary also published in the British Medical Journal, Danish researcher Daniel Ibsen from Aarhus University and Yanbo Zhang from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York emphasize that potatoes, with their low ecological footprint, should not be neglected as a nutritious source of carbohydrates.

“Are potatoes back on the menu? Well, it depends,” write Ibsen and Zhang. On the one hand, less processed dishes are preferable. On the other hand, giving up potatoes only has health benefits if they are replaced with the right kind of food. “Potatoes can be part of a healthy and sustainable diet, but whole grains should take precedence.” (APA/dpa)