Potato a grain or vegetable? US Senators try to defend its honour as debate rages

In an unexpected twist on Capitol Hill, a formidable coalition of American Senators, spanning both Republican and Democratic parties, has taken a bold stand against a controversial proposal: reclassifying the potato as a grain. In a sharply worded letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, the bipartisan group of 14 Senators declared, "The scientific basis for claiming potatoes are not vegetables is as thin as a potato chip. The Senators also cited a 2013 National Library of Medicine study titled "White Potatoes, Human Health, and Dietary Guidance," which championed the potato's cause. All white vegetables, including white potatoes, provide nutrients needed in the diet and deserve a prominent position in food guides.” The Senators highlighted that the reclassification would deprive consumers of vital nutrients and create widespread confusion. Under the National School Breakfast and National School Lunch Programs, schools already struggle to meet vegetable consumption recommendations at a reasonable cost, and potatoes are often the most affordable vegetable,” the Senators added.