Is A Potato A Vegetable And Other Spud FAQs - Birds Eye

Is Potato A Vegetable? Potato Nutrition & FAQ's Veg Nutrition

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To set the record straight and to end any family dinner time disputes, yes, a potato is technically (botanically) a vegetable- but doesn’t count towards your 5-a-Day as is nutritionally a starchy carbohydrate. Here’s everything you need to know about spuds, from what they are, to why they’re vital to maintaining a healthy, balanced diet.

What is a potato?

It may seem like a silly question, but there is in fact a lot of confusion around what potatoes actually are and what benefits they have. In all fairness, they do contain a number of different nutrients, so we’ll let you off if you’re a little muddled, but hopefully we can help.

Check out some frequently asked questions below on all things spuds!

Are potatoes a carb?

Now we’ve established that a potato is in fact botanically vegetable, we can confirm that they also belong to the carbohydrate group, one of the three main macronutrients in our diet.

More specifically, potatoes are a starchy carb, which provide the slow and steady release of energy (the type of carbohydrate athletes load up on the night before a big race or match). Starchy foods also include pasta, rice and bread and cereal.

Are potatoes good for you?

Although this may come as a surprise, potatoes are very good for you, in moderation of course (like most things). We’re not talking about eating triple-cooked chips or a family sized bag of your favourite crisps (although we have nothing against them) every day. But when it comes to health benefits, a baked potato with the skin on certainly has high nutritional value.

Nutritional value of a potato

As previously mentioned, potatoes are packed with a variety of nutrients, which is why they are a staple food to include in our diets. They are rich in fibre and potassium, and also provide a source of vitamin B1. Like all carbohydrates they also provides us with an important source of energy.

Are potatoes one of your five a day?

We’re sorry to say that despite technically being a vegetable and having high nutritional value, potatoes do not count as one of your five a day. This is because they mainly contribute to the starch in our diet – however, this doesn’t make them any less important to eat! Learn about which vegetables do count towards your 5-a-Day and how much veg we should be eating per day in our handy article.

In a nutshell, there is no doubt that a potato is botanically a vegetable. Although not your usual leafy green, it’s still packed with vital nutrients that are necessities for a balanced diet. Check out some of our potato based recipes for some meal inspiration or our potato waffles range for an extra treat!

Potato Recipes and Meal Ideas

Find out more here Check out our Potato Waffles range