According to Ms. Preeti Nagar, a nutritionist at the International Institute of Medical Sciences Noida (India), potatoes when properly cooked are usually safe and suitable for many people.
However, potatoes contain high levels of potassium, so people with kidney disease need to pay special attention. Under normal conditions, the kidneys will take on the task of filtering and excreting potassium through urine.
But in people with impaired kidney function, this process does not work effectively, leading to a buildup of potassium in the blood, known as hyperkalemia. Eating too many potatoes can be dangerous and make the condition worse.
In addition, potatoes have a fairly high glycemic index (GI), ranging from 77 to 87, depending on how they are prepared. Specifically, boiled potatoes have a GI of 78, while mashed potatoes reach 87. Therefore, people with diabetes need to be careful when consuming potatoes.
However, nutritionists say that patients do not need to abstain completely, but only need to adjust their food intake appropriately to avoid affecting blood sugar.
