PRESQUE ISLE, Maine (WAGM) – Potatoes are officially a vegetable.
Senator Susan Collins received a joint letter from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture Monday confirming that both organizations will officially keep potatoes classified as a vegetable rather than reclassifying them as a grain.
The debate revolved around the nutrient profile of potatoes being closer to that of whole grains such as oats and brown rice. Many argued against this change of classification as potatoes come from a different plant family than grains do. Collins says she is happy the potato will remain a vegetable as, ” when properly prepared, the potato is a wonderfully nutritious food that is affordable, easy to trasport, has a long storage life and can be used in a wide array of recipes.”
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