June 6, 2024 — As a federal advisory committee worked to update U.S. nutritional guidelines in April, one question began to gain traction: Should potatoes continue to be classified as a vegetable?
Eric Lim, a professor in the department of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, weighed in on the issue on the public radio show “Main Calling” on May 16. The show focused on the current state of the potato and whether it can be part of a healthy diet.
The potato controversy emerged in the news after a meeting of the advisory committee for the federal government’s 2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans discussed the impact of changing assumptions, such as reclassifying potatoes as a grain. The USDA later clarified that the change was not being seriously considered.
Speaking to Maine Calling, Lim noted how foods are categorized in the Dietary Guidelines is important because federally subsidized nutrition programs are required to follow the Dietary Guidelines. Additionally, the Dietary Guidelines are also an important resource used by educators to teach children about healthy eating.
The school’s healthy meal plan does not include potatoes in its vegetable recommendations because of their negative impact on blood sugar levels. Researchers at the school and other institutions have found that a diet high in potatoes and similar fast-digesting, high-carbohydrate foods may contribute to obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
“It’s not that we want to eliminate certain foods, but rather, what do we compare them to,” Lim told Maine Calling, noting that most potatoes are eaten in unhealthy forms such as French fries. “When I think of other forms of what are called vegetables, I would rather have my child eat broccoli.”
He said ways to get the most nutrition from potatoes include eating the skin, which is packed with fiber, and choosing dark varieties that are high in carotenoids, a type of compound that has antioxidant properties.
Listen to the Maine Calling episode “The Great Potato Debate”
Photo: iStock/luoman
