Potatoes Reduce High Blood Pressure

Stereotypes that potatoes are fattening foods that seem to be revised. Scientists report that some portions of potatoes each day can lower blood pressure is almost the same as oatmeal without causing weight gain.

The report presented at the National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS) to-242 which was held in Denver, USA, August 29, 2011.

The research was conducted on a group of people who are overweight with high blood pressure. The researchers did not use the chips are popular in America, but the potatoes are cooked without oil in a microwave oven. They believe that the red-skinned potatoes and white potatoes have the same effect, provided no added vinegar, sauces or mayonnaise.

"Potatoes have a reputation worse than other vegetables and make a lot of health conscious people who crossed from the list of foods," says Joe Vinson, PhD, lead investigator.

"When I mention the potatoes, one thinks of fattening, high in carbohydrates, but zero calories. In fact, when cooked without fried in butter, margarine or sour, the potato has only 110 calories, dozens of healthy substances, and vitamins. We hope our research help make the potatoes again popular as a nutritious food. "

In this study, 18 patients with obesity and high blood pressure take 6-8 golf ball-sized purple potatoes with the skin twice a day for a month. They use purple potatoes because the pigments in fruits and vegetables are rich in chemicals that are useful. Scientists monitor the patient's blood pressure, both systolic (the higher number in blood pressure readings like 120/80) and diastolic.

"Diastolic blood pressure decreased on average by 4.3 percent and the systolic pressure decreased by 3.5 percent," said Vinson of the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania and has done extensive research on the healthful components in foods. The majority of subjects taking anti-hypertensive medications and still decreased blood pressure.

As quoted from ScienceDaily, Thursday (08/09/2011), Vinson said that other studies have identified a substance in the potato with the same effect in the body with well-known effect of ACE-inhibitor drugs, a reliable drug for treating high blood pressure. Other chemicals in the potato has a number that is not kalaih with broccoli, spinach and Brussels sprouts.

Unfortunately, for fans of French fries and potato chips, the high cooking temperatures apparently destroyed most of the healthy substances in the potato and leave only carbohydrates, fats and minerals. In this study, only potatoes are cooked in the microwave mengguankan seems to be the best way to retain nutrients.