A new study published in Nutrients has looked at the effect of increased dietary potassium from a whole food source--baked/boiled potatoes and baked French fries--or a potassium supplement on blood pressure and other cardiovascular disease risk factors. There was a comparison to a 'typical American' control diet (lower potassium intake) among 30 pre-hypertensive to hypertensive men and women.
The results showed that having roasted/boiled potatoes as part of a typical American diet had the greatest benefit in reducing sodium retention, even more than supplements, and the reduction in systolic blood pressure was greater compared to the control diet.
Also, despite widespread misunderstandings about French fries and their role in heart-healthy lifestyles, the authors have observed that a 330-calorie grilled French fries, when eaten as part of the typical American diet, has an effect on blood pressure or blood vessels.
Evidence on the effect of increased dietary potassium on blood pressure from clinical trials is extremely limited, and this is one of the first known controlled feeding interventions investigating dietary potassium as the primary variable of interest.
