America in an uproar: will potatoes soon no longer be vegetables?
In the Netherlands, potatoes are included in the well-known Wheel of Five. They are placed in the same category as rice and grains, even though they are officially considered a vegetable. In fact, potatoes belong to the cultivated crops (a plant species that has been bred from wild plants and is grown for human use), which also includes tomatoes and peppers. But the fact that potatoes are officially vegetables does not mean that we see them that way in the Netherlands — and in that respect, we are quite unique.
In many other countries, potatoes are simply considered vegetables, including in America. Although that may soon change… And it is causing quite a commotion. The National Potato Council is now involved. It is chaos.
2025 could change everything
The U.S. Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee is currently considering the dietary advice it wants to communicate in 2025. This also means that it may adjust its guidelines — and there is now talk of moving potatoes to a different category. They would move from the ‘vegetables’ category to the ‘grains’ category, as is already the case here. But Americans want nothing to do with it.
It is funny that such a huge fuss has erupted over something like this, because it seems unlikely to me that you would cook a potato differently now that it officially belongs to the grains category. The people who are particularly angry about this are The National Potato Council and The Grain Chain — the former advocates for potatoes and the latter for grains. They both agree: potatoes are vegetables, not grains. Things have even escalated to the point that the CEO of The National Potato Committee has made an appeal during meetings of the U.S. Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.
‘This is not the solution’
According to CEO Kam Quarles, it is certainly important that more vegetables be eaten in the United States, but no longer defining potatoes as vegetables is not the solution, he emphasizes. ‘Although the NPC (National Potato Council) is sensitive to individual needs and cultures, we urge the Committee to recognize that potatoes are not grains. Potatoes are the most widely produced vegetable in America, and vegetables and grains are two completely different food groups that play different roles in the consumption of nutrients in the human diet. Unlike grains, potatoes contain lots of potassium, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and fiber. Research shows that diets in which plenty of vegetables are eaten, including potatoes, produce healthy outcomes.’
‘This idea, which is not supported by science, will confuse consumers and could cause people to fail to get enough nutrients and eat fewer vegetables. We ask the Committee to prevent this chaotic outcome and to continue recognizing the fact that potatoes are vegetables.’
The potato food feud is not over yet
This is the biggest food feud in ages, and it is about which category potatoes should officially belong to. To be continued… Because the Committee has not yet made a decision. This is going to be even more exciting than the average summer cliffhanger on GTST, I can feel it.
Also read:
- Starting potatoes in cold water or adding them straight to boiling water: what do you do?
- You shouldn’t put up with it when someone tells you to leave your potatoes on the left
- 10 tips to prevent your supplies from spoiling and going moldy
Source: Food and Wine
