Key Points
Fourteen US senators have written a letter to the heads of the United States Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS), expressing their strong opposition to the possibility of potatoes being reclassified as grains in the upcoming 20252030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs)...
Using the documented nutritional benefits of potatoes as an example, the senators stated there was not strong scientific justification behind the assertion that potatoes are not vegetables...
The letter asserted that potatoes were an excellent source of potassium, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and fibre, and went on to say, A medium baked potato contains 15 percent of the daily recommended value of dietary fibre, 27 percent of the daily recommended value for vitamin B6, and 28 percent of the daily recommended value of vitamin C...
Legislators are also worried that reclassifying potatoes as grains would have far-reaching effects, including confusing consumers, causing problems for retailers and restaurants, and affecting farmers and the supply chain as a whole...
In addition, the letter cited a 2013 National Library of Medicines (NLM) study called White Potatoes, Human Health, and Dietary Guidance that supports classifying potatoes as vegetables because of the essential nutrients they provide...
