Potatoes can Reduce Blood Pressure

Potatoes are often discarded by many as fatty food. But, a new study now claims that eating spuds daily can help lower your blood pressure; and moreover, there is no weight gain involved. In the study, relayed by the ‘Daily Mail’ , researchers fed 18 volunteers six to eight spuds twice a day. Most of those taking part were overweight or obese and on pills to lower blood pressure. And, the spuds used were purple ones cooked unpeeled in a microwave. After a month, their average systolic blood pressure, the “upper” reading when blood is pumped with each beat of the heart, was down by 3.5%. Diastolic or “lower” readings decreased by 4.3%. In addition, none of the volunteers put on any weight, the ‘Daily Mail’ reported. “Mention ‘potato’ and people think ‘fattening, high carbs, empty calories’. We hope our research helps to remake the potato’s popular nutritional image,” lead researcher Dr. Joe Vinson of the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania was quoted as saying. He added that lowering blood pressure cuts the risk of heart attacks and strokes.