Is French fried potato consumption Related to Adverse Health Outcomes?

1) almonds, 2) French fries (Potato) or 3) French fries with herb/spices mix (Potato+herb/spices). The outcome assessed was a change in the baseline and 30-day FM measured using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. The researchers also assessed the body weight and carbohydrate metabolism (glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting blood glucose and insulin, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR)) markers. They also performed a post-prandial meal-based tolerance test in a subset of 5 participants per group.

Key findings of the study:

• Upon analysis, the researchers found no significant difference in total FM between Almond and Potato (combined±herb/spices; (mean±SE)] Almond:230.87±114.01g; Potato:123.73±86.09g.
• They also found no significant changes in fasting glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR or HbA1c (p=0.269).
• They wrote, "Bodyweight change was not significantly different with potato groups combined versus almonds, but was significantly different among the three groups (Almond: 0.49±0.20kg; Potato: -0.24±0.20kg; Potato+herb/spices: 0.47±0.21kg)."
• Upon meal test, they observed significant lower post-prandial glucose and insulin responses to almonds versus potatoes with Potato+herb/spices having intermediate effects.

The authors concluded, "There were no significant differences in FM or glucoregulatory biomarkers after 30 days of potato consumption versus almonds. Results do not support a causal relationship between increased French fried potato consumption and the negative health outcomes studied."

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqac045