The “healthy” side dish that wreaks havoc on your heart

Dear Reader,

How many pounds of potatoes would you guess you eat each year? Five? Ten? Twenty?

Shockingly, the average American eats 110 pounds of potatoes a year.

And that’s a big problem. Here’s why…

I’m sure it’s no surprise that fried potatoes are linked to obesity and heart disease. But new research shows even supposedly “healthy” potato preparations—like baked, mashed, and boiled—can wreak havoc on your heart health.

In fact, Dr. Fred Pescatore actually compares eating potatoes to “poisoning your heart.”

In his Ultimate Heart-Protection Protocol, Dr. Pescatore cites a Harvard Medical School study that analyzed 20 years of data from three different studies including more than 187,000 participants.

Dr. Pescatore describes the outcome by saying, “Let’s just say the results are a pretty clear indictment of regular potato consumption.

“People who ate four or more servings of potatoes a week had a significantly higher risk of high blood pressure than those who ate less than a single serving a month—11 percent higher for those who ate baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes; 17 percent higher for those who regularly ate French fries.”

Even the “healthier” types of potatoes cause BIG problems

The Harvard study points out the greater danger from French fries, but it’s clear that baked, boiled, and mashed potatoes have their own problems.

Dr. Pescatore explains that potatoes are loaded with starch—so no matter how they’re prepared, they’ll still prompt a significant spike to blood sugar when you eat them.

He says, “Uncontrolled blood sugar sends our metabolic system into a tailspin—and blood pressure regulation is one of the first functions on the chopping block when this system is compromised.”

And he adds that when you factor in the inevitable effects of weight gain from consuming starchy carbohydrates, “you’ve got a surefire recipe for high blood pressure.”

“Generally speaking,” Dr. Pescatore says, “chowing down on these carbohydrate bombs is a bad idea, plain and simple. They aren’t doing any favors for your blood sugar or your waistline.”

Swap out that potato for something better

The simple solution here calls for breaking the potato habit by swapping out potato side dishes for foods that support your heart health.

But not corn. When it comes to starchy vegetables, corn is nearly as bad as potatoes. Other than that, Dr. Pescatore notes that just about any other vegetable will do.

He points to research where a team of scientists found that just by dropping one serving of boiled, baked, or mashed potatoes, and serving a non-starchy vegetable each day instead, you’re less likely to develop high blood pressure—and, in turn, keep your heart healthy.

You can get more details on heart-healthy eating—as well as other evidence-based strategies for keeping blood pressure and blood sugar in check-in Dr. Pescatore’s Ultimate Heart-Protection Protocol.

Click here to find out more about this all-inclusive online learning tool, or to enroll today.

SOURCES

“Potato intake and incidence of hypertension: results from three prospective US cohort studies” BMJ 2016; 353: i2351. doi.org/10.1136/bmj.i2351

“Potato Fun Facts” Northern Plains Potato Growers Association, 2018. (nppga.org/consumers/funfacts.php)