Potato Research for Enhancing Metabolic Outcomes

Overview

The potato is a nutritious food that comprises approximately 30% of total vegetable intake in the United States (US). Consumption of pulses in the US is low but its contribution to health is frequently promoted. However, in the US diet, potatoes contribute as much dietary fiber, far more potassium, and a host of similar nutrients as pulses. When prepared to enhance its slowly digested starch content, potatoes produce a moderate glycemic response. In encouraging a shift towards plant-based foods and sustainable diets, the potato can partially replace meat in meat dishes to enhance the overall quality of the diet and reduce meat intake to recommended levels.

Approximately 11% of individuals with untreated prediabetes progress to diabetes every year. Reversion to normal blood glucose concentrations reduces the incidence of diabetes by 56%. Healthy eating patterns such as the DASH and the Mediterranean Diet have shown that high intakes of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes or pulses, and potatoes are associated with cardiometabolic health. In contrast, dietary patterns rich in meat and sugar-rich foods are associated with increased risk of mortality, type 2 diabetes, and coronary heart disease. These findings suggest that it may be prudent to replace certain foods with fruits and vegetables rather than simply embrace plant-based diets. Small changes that bestow health benefits are likely to be sustainable in the long-term. The objective of the present application is to develop a diet intervention to reverse insulin resistance in an overweight or obese population. The central hypothesis is that in the context of an overall healthy eating pattern, potatoes and pulses will not differ in the glycemic and insulinemic responses, lipid profile, and hsCRP concentration they elicit.