What food group are potatoes in?

What food group is the potato?
From: Ginny

The potato belongs to the vegetable group, starchy vegetables subgroup and this is how it appears in the new food pyramid. Understanding the different food groups is crucial for a healthy diet, ensuring we consume the recommended amount of each without exceeding daily calories.

In the old pyramid, potatoes belonged to the starch group. Now they are re-classified and placed in their rightful group, vegetables. Starchy vegetables like potatoes are essential for energy, but it's important to balance them with non-starchy vegetables, which have fewer carbohydrates and calories, to maintain a healthy diet. Comparing potatoes with dark green vegetables and red and orange vegetables, we see a variety of nutritional benefits. For example, sweet potatoes, a type of red and orange vegetable, are rich in vitamin A, while dark green vegetables like spinach and kale are high in vitamins and minerals. Including green beans and green peas in your diet adds fiber and nutrients.

Potatoes are healthy and a good source of vitamin C. White potatoes, unlike sweet potatoes, are an excellent source of vitamin C and potassium but don't contain vitamin A. This does not mean you can stuff your face with French fries and eat as many chips as you want because potatoes are starchy vegetables and starches can make you fat if you eat too many. 

Different preparations of potatoes, such as potato pancakes, can significantly affect blood sugar levels. It's important to manage blood sugar and saturated fat intake by preferring cooking methods that use olive oil instead of solid fats high in saturated fat.