Do potatoes count as a vegetable (for nutritional purposes)?

[temper_tantrum]

... for the purposes of getting a balanced diet, I mean?

I have this argument regularly with a friend. He insists that potatoes are vegetables, and therefore a meal such as, for example, sausages & mash is nutritionally-balanced and doesn't need the addition of any extra vegetables.

I, however, say that you should chuck some broccoli or peas or carrots or somesuch in there as well, because the potatoes are, in this instance, the carbohydrate and thus not really a vegetable.

Anyone want to argue to the death on this one?

 

[Bakunin]

... for the purposes of getting a balanced diet, I mean?

I have this argument regularly with a friend. He insists that potatoes are vegetables, and therefore a meal such as, for example, sausages & mash is nutritionally-balanced and doesn't need the addition of any extra vegetables.

I, however, say that you should chuck some broccoli or peas or carrots or somesuch in there as well, because the potatoes are, in this instance, the carbohydrate and thus not really a vegetable.

Anyone want to argue to the death on this one?

IIRC, the potato is simply a ball of starch with some nutritional elements in the skin rather than the inside. So keep the skin on, but I'd chuck in some veg as well if I wanted to be sure.

Incidentally, in a burst of spud-related trivia, did you know that the humble and nourishing spud comes from the same family of plants as Deadly Nightshade?

 

[sheothebudworths]

It'd be your CARB portion rather than your veg portion. Your friend is A MORON!

 

[girasol]

of course they do, but don't fry them!

http://www.lovepotatoes.co.uk/the-potato/potato-nutrition/

 

[temper_tantrum]

It'd be your CARB portion rather than your veg portion. Your friend is A MORON!

Y'see this is what I keep telling him. He won't listen though. I was hoping the combined wisdom of urban would convince him that he's a wrong 'un.

 

[rutabowa]

YES it is a vegetable. end thread.

 

[rutabowa]

It'd be your CARB portion rather than your veg portion. Your friend is A MORON!

yes as everyone knows everything can be divided into animal, vegetable, mineral and CARB.

 

[mr steev]

and therefore a meal such as, for example, sausages & mash is nutritionally-balanced and doesn't need the addition of any extra vegetables.

Even if spuds were nutritionally classed as a vegetable, sausage and a vegetable is not a nutritionally balanced meal

 

[zenie]

Nope.

Doesn't contain much fibre which is the whole point of 5 a day. I'm not sure it's classified as a 'proper' vegetable is it?

 

[pogofish]

Yes, potatos are a vegetable but no they are not counted as one. They are considered as starch/carbs instead.

 

[temper_tantrum]

Even if spuds were nutritionally classed as a vegetable, sausage and a vegetable is not a nutritionally balanced meal

What would you add to it?

 

[Epona]

No.

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/5ADAY/Pages/Whatcounts.aspx

 

[Bakunin]

Nope.

Doesn't contain much fibre which is the whole point of 5 a day. I'm not sure it's classified as a 'proper' vegetable is it?

Being part of the Nightshades family the potato is technically a fruit IIRC.

 

[kained&able]

what sheo said.

dave

 

[pogofish]

Nope.

Doesn't contain much fibre which is the whole point of 5 a day. I'm not sure it's classified as a 'proper' vegetable is it?

Five a day has no point whatsoever and fibre is only a part of the story.

 

[Crispy]

What would you add to it?

Some green veg.

 

[strung out]

Five a day has no point whatsoever and fibre is only a part of the story.

yep. i haven't eaten five portions of veg in a single day for a long long time and i'm in the peak of health

 

[rutabowa]

Doesn't contain much fibre which is the whole point of 5 a day

fibre isn't the point of 5 a day... otherwise you could include shredded wheat as part of it. lots of vegetables that don't have lots of fibre can be included as it. the point is balance, and getting people to eat more vegetables generally. the reason some guidelines don't include potatoes is that some people would just say "okay that means i can eat 4 portions of chips and a bag of crisps then".

 

[Blagsta]

Of course it's a vegetable and vegetables are more carb than they are protein!

 

[rutabowa]

Yes, potatos are a vegetable but no they are not counted as one. They are considered as starch/carbs instead.

doesn't even make sense. "yes they are but they're not".

 

[Voley]

What would you add to it?

A vodka and orange.

 

[temper_tantrum]

Some green veg.

But he said sausage + veg isn't nutritionally balanced Implication being that's the case with any veg

 

[Blagsta]

Being part of the Nightshades family the potato is technically a fruit IIRC.

Potatoes are not a fruit. A fruit is a seed/seeds surrounded by fleshy pulp. Potatoes are tubers.

 

[temper_tantrum]

A vodka and orange.

I'd prefer a glass of wine, is that acceptable? There's a nutritional category for booze, right?

 

[Bakunin]

Potatoes are not a fruit. A fruit is a seed/seeds surrounded by fleshy pulp. Potatoes are tubers.

Yep, you're right about that.

 

[mr steev]

Being part of the Nightshades family the potato is technically a fruit IIRC.

The potato is a tuber, part of the root. Fruit has seeds in it. The plant can produce fruit too. Small (poisonous irrc) green berries.

 

[Voley]

I'd prefer a glass of wine, is that acceptable? There's a nutritional category for booze, right?

Wine's got grapes in it and therefore counts towards your five a day.

 

[mr steev]

But he said sausage + veg isn't nutritionally balanced Implication being that's the case with any veg

Sausage and A vegetable. iyswim

 

[girasol]

Wine's got grapes in it and therefore counts towards your five a day.

And that's why a glass of wine a day is good for you

 

[pogofish]

doesn't even make sense. "yes they are but they're not".

The whole thing don't make sense - Usual British fact-free "tell the plebs what's good for them" fudge.