Every five years, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Agriculture publish Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which compile evidence-based recommendations to promote overall health and reduce the risk of chronic disease. ” is published. This usually includes common sense advice about limiting alcohol intake, monitoring portion sizes, and eating a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables.However, some recent reports Farmers, industry groups and even politicians are seriously concerned about what information will be included in the next guidelines, especially regarding potatoes.
Currently, the government classifies potatoes as a vegetable, but there is speculation that potatoes could be reclassified as a grain in the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Some public health authorities Harvard University TH Chan School of Public Healthpotatoes have already been excluded from the vegetable category, especially because of their impact on blood sugar levels.
That said, lawmakers, including 14 senators; spoke out about potential changessaid that changing the current classification of potatoes under dietary guidelines would “immediately disrupt consumers, retailers, restaurateurs, producers, and the entire supply chain.”
From a nutritional point of view, potatoes actually have less of an impact on our bodies than non-starchy vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, and celery. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, these are a type of carbohydrate that is rapidly digested in the body, causing a spike and then a drop in blood sugar and insulin levels. “Scientifically speaking, they have a high glycemic load,” school officials wrote in a 2014 article titled “Scientifically speaking, they have a high glycemic load.”potato problem”
“For example, a cup of potato has the same effect on blood sugar levels as a can of Coke or a handful of jelly beans,” the researchers wrote. “A high glycemic load from a meal can have a roller-coaster effect, making you feel hungry again soon after eating, which can lead to overeating. In the long term, it’s easier to digest potatoes and similar foods. A diet high in high-carbohydrate foods can lead to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
The author of the article pointed out: 2011 survey The study tracked the diets and lifestyle habits of 120,000 men and women for up to 20 years to examine “how small changes in food choices affect weight gain over time.” In this study, people who increased their intake of french fries, baked potatoes, or mashed potatoes gained weight over time, but those who decreased their intake of these particular foods gained less weight and other The same was true for people who increased their vegetable intake.
But Cam Quarles, CEO of the National Potato Council, doesn’t think potatoes should be classified as a grain because of other important components of their nutritional profile. Speaking at the National Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee in September, he said: opened his statement “First of all, potatoes are vegetables.”
“We understand that the committee is considering changes to food groups within the U.S. dietary pattern. One of those discussions concerns the compatibility of starchy vegetables and grains.” said Quarles. “While the NPC is sensitive to individual needs and cultures, we urge the committee to recognize that potatoes are not a grain. Potatoes are the most widely produced vegetable in the United States.”
He added: “Starchy vegetables and grains are two very different food groups that play distinctly different roles in providing nutrients to your diet. Unlike grains, white potatoes contain potassium, calcium, vitamin C, It’s rich in vitamin B6 and fiber. Research shows that a diet high in vegetable intake, including potatoes, promotes overall healthy outcomes.”
“We urge the committee to recognize that potatoes are not grains.”
This was echoed in a letter signed and sent by 20 senators last week to Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack and Health Department Secretary Xavier Becerra.in letterA bipartisan group, including Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), said potatoes “should be classified as a vegetable due to their significant impacts.” He cited a 2013 study from the National Library of Medicine. nutrients. ” The study states that “all white vegetables, including white potatoes, provide essential nutrients in the diet.”
“Given this strong, fact-backed argument from the National Library of Medicine study, it makes no sense for your department to reclassify potatoes as a grain,” the senators concluded. “We strongly recommend against reclassifying potatoes as grains or suggesting that grains and potatoes are interchangeable. Given the DGA’s expedited timeline, [Dietary Guidelines for America] Please provide updates regarding this issue as soon as possible. ”
The grain chain industry group also agreed that potatoes should continue to be classified as a vegetable, saying that placing potatoes in that category “could exacerbate nutritional deficiencies.”
Whether potatoes are formally classified as a vegetable or a grain has implications beyond the nutritional recommendations provided within the guidelines. These recommendations impact how real-world programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the National School Lunch Program, allocate benefits and budgets.
“Our federal nutrition programs rely on the DGA to ensure program beneficiaries receive balanced, nutritious foods,” the senators wrote. “Such changes could also come at a cost to our nation’s schools. Under the National School Breakfast and National School Lunch Programs, schools are already struggling to meet vegetable intake recommendations at a reasonable cost. Potatoes are often the most affordable vegetable.
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