January 4, 2024 — Potatoes may be reclassified from a vegetable to a grain in the federal government’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025–2030 because of the way their nutrient profile differs from that of other vegetables, according to a December 27, 2023, Verywell Health article.
Potatoes—unlike non-starchy vegetables like lettuce and carrots—are high in the kind of carbohydrates that the body digests rapidly, which can cause blood sugar to spike and raise the risk of weight gain and diabetes.
For this reason, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health nutrition experts kept potatoes out of the vegetable category on their Healthy Eating Plate and recommend limiting their consumption.
Lilian Cheung, lecturer and director of health promotion and communication in the Department of Nutrition, suggested in the article that those who eat potatoes prepare them in a way that maximizes their beneficial fiber content. “Incorporating potatoes on occasion as part of an overall healthy diet—preferably prepared with the skin intact with minimal added saturated fat—can add enjoyment and satisfaction to a meal,” she said.
Read the Verywell Health article: Do Potatoes Count as a Vegetable?
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