The verdict is in, and potatoes are still vegetables in the U.S.
“Lets us reassure you that there is no intent and no effort underway to reclassify potatoes as a grain, nor are there analyses singling out potatoes,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra wrote in a May 17 letter to Senator Susan Collins.
In 2023, the U.S. Dietary Advisory Committee, which includes HHS and USDA representatives, started work on the 10th edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which provides advice on what to eat and drink to meet nutrient needs.
This guideline is updated every five years.
And committee reps debated reclassifying potatoes as grains to have them in the same category as rice and other related products.
Potatoes do contain starch like grains. But they also have Vitamins C and B6, protein and potassium – like kale, spinach, broccoli and cabbage.