Fact Check: Are Potatoes a Vegetable?
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Are potatoes considered a vegetable?
Yes! Potatoes are a vegetable.
FACTS
- Potatoes are a vegetable horticulturally and nutritionally.1,2 Everyone from the U.S. government (Dietary Guidelines for Americans and My Plate) to major healthcare organizations like the Cleveland Clinic categorizes the potato as a vegetable.
- Many of the healthiest diets in the world, including the Mediterranean and DASH diets, also include potatoes as a vegetable.3,4,5
- Under the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, potatoes are part of the “starchy vegetables” category, along with foods like green peas, corn, jicama and black-eyed peas. The Dietary Guidelines recommend 5 cups a week of starchy vegetables in a balanced diet.2
- The potato belongs to the botanical family Solanaceae. Other members of this family include the tomato, bell peppers, chili pepper and eggplant.
REFERENCES
1. University of California Cooperative Extension, Vegetable Research & Information Center, “Frequently Asked Questions,” https://vric.ucdavis.edu/main/faqs.htm. Accessed Nov. 22, 2024.
2. Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025, https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2021-03/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans-2020-2025.pdf. Accessed Nov. 22, 2024.
3. U.S. News & World Report, “Best Diets Overall 2024,” January 1, 2024, https://health.usnews.com/best-diet/best-diets-overall. Accessed Nov. 22, 2024.
4. Cleveland Clinic, Mediterranean Diet, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/16037-mediterranean-diet. Accessed Nov. 22, 2024.
5. National Institutes of Health, “DASH Eating Plan,” https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/sites/default/files/publications/WES09-DASH-Potassium.pdf. Accessed Nov. 22, 2024.
