Women who eat a large amount of potatoes before they get pregnant could be at a greater risk of developing diabetes while pregnant, due to their high starch content.
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Potatoes have a high glycaemic index compared with other vegetables, so can trigger a sharp rise in blood sugar levels, and this could be one explanation for the findings, the authors of the study explained.
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The research, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), tracked 15,632 women with no previous gestational diabetes or chronic disease who and who became pregnant, over a 10-year period.
They found that higher total potato consumption was significantly associated with an increased risk of gestational diabetes.
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However, substituting two servings of potatoes a week with other vegetables, legumes, or whole grain foods was significantly associated with a 9-12% lower risk.
