POTATO AND POTASSIUM
Consumption of white
potatoes is linked to increased intake of potassium, a new study has revealed.
For
each additional kilocalorie of white potatoes consumed, there was a 1.6 mg
increase in potassium intake among adults 19-years-old and older, and a 1.7 mg
increase among children and teens from 2 to 18 years of age.
Gender,
age, race/ethnicity and educational attainment, but not income or body mass
index, were also highly predictive of potassium intake.
Potassium
is considered a shortfall nutrient of public health concern because 97 percent
of Americans do not have an adequate intake of potassium.
Maureen
Storey, PhD, co-author of the study and president and CEO of the Alliance
The 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee
concluded there is considerable evidence demonstrating that higher intake of potassium
is associated with lower blood pressure in adults.
Diets
containing foods that are good sources of potassium and low in sodium may
reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.
Potassium-rich
white potatoes, with or without the skin, are naturally free of fat, saturated
fat and cholesterol and have little sodium.
For
example, a small (138 g) skin-on, plain baked potato provides 738 mg potassium
and only 128 calories.
A
large banana (136 g) provides about the same number of calories, but far less
potassium (487 mg).
Calorie
for calorie, the white potato delivers more potassium than bananas.
Even
without its skin, the flesh of the white potato is a potassium powerhouse.
Just one cup (122 g) of
baked potato without the skin provides 477 mg potassium.
Storey
noted, “The nutrient ‘beauty’ of the white potato is not just skin deep. The
flesh alone is also a significant source of key vitamins and minerals, such as
potassium.”
The
study is set to be published in the journal, Advances in Nutrition.
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