Are Potatoes a Vegetable
Are potatoes considered a vegetable?
Yes. Potatoes are a vegetable.
FACTS
- Yes. Potatoes are categorized by nutrition authorities as “starchy vegetables,” highlighting their predominant macronutrient—carbohydrate—and predominant type of carbohydrate—starch.
- Potatoes are squarely in the vegetable category in both the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) MyPlate guidelines and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which is jointly published by the USDA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.1
- The potato belongs to the botanical family Solanaceae. Other members of this family include the tomato, bell peppers, chili
pepper and eggplant.
Download PDF: Potatoes Are a Vegetable →
REFERENCES
1. https://www.choosemyplate.gov/dietary-guidelines
Visit our Potato Nutrition page to learn about potato nutrients.