Consommation de pommes de terre et risques de maladie cardiovasculaire

The potato's attractiveness in its many forms added to its nutrient qualities and low cost accounts for its high consumption in the Western world. Consideration must therefore be given to its place and role in a healthy diet in view of the growing incidence of cardiometabolic diseases, such as atherosclerosis, obesity and diabetes, which are highly sensitive to dietary and lifestyle changes. In human studies it has been difficult to tease out the specific role of one staple relative to another, but there is evidence pointing to the fact that potatoes can have desirable properties from a cardiovascular standpoint, in particular due to their low caloric density, their acceptable glycemic index (especially when starch is highly structured and slowly digested), their high mineral and vitamin content and the presence of antioxidants, which when measured in proportion to their consumption rank potatoes as the largest contributor to the American diet of vegetable antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, selenium, and polyphenols). One study in chronic inflammatory diseases revealed a protective association of potato intake in men and the risk of inflammation-related death. Results of current studies would support the use of potatoes in the diet of diabetic patients and in dietary recommendations for the prevention of diabetes. There is little information on the effect of French fries, one of the most widely used preparations of potatoes in North America, on markers of cardiometabolic diseases, and controlled randomized trials to better understand this favorite food would be very useful.