Effect of Steamed Potato Bread Intake on Glucose, Lipids, and Urinary Na(+) and K(+): A Randomized Controlled Trial with Adolescents

Although potatoes are highly nutritious, many epidemiological studies have connected their consumption with abnormal lipids, diabetes, and hypertension. Steamed potato bread has recently become one of China’s staple foods. A randomized controlled trial was designed to evaluate the effect of steamed potato bread consumption on Chinese adolescents. Four classes from a high school were randomly selected and assigned to the intervention group (two classes) or control group (two classes). The steamed wheat bread (100% raw wheat flour) and potato bread (raw wheat flour to cooked potato flour ratio of 3:7) were provided to the control group and intervention group as staple food once a school day for 8 weeks, respectively. Compared with the control group, the intervention group had significant net changes in systolic blood pressure (4.6 mmHg, p = 0.010), insulin (−4.35 mIU/L, p < 0.001), total cholesterol (−0.13 mmol/L, p = 0.032), and high-density lipoproteins cholesterol (−0.07 mmol/L, p = 0.010). The urinary level of Na(+)/K(+) did not differ between the groups. In conclusion, the intake of steamed potato bread for 8 weeks resulted in positive effects on the total cholesterol and insulin profiles but a negative effect on the systolic blood pressure and high-density lipoproteins cholesterol of adolescents.