April 2024 - 24

NATIONAL POTATO COUNCIL
By Beth Johnson
Guest Contributor
Dietary debate
Introduction of Staple Carbohydrate Group sparks uncertainty
As someone with a master's degree in
nutrition and who has spent 25 years in
food policy, I've participated in the Dietary
Guidelines for Americans (DGA) process
since it began and now work with the
potato industry as a food policy advisor.
Over those two and a half decades, the
process by which the national nutrition
recommendations are developed has
evolved - and rightfully so.
Every year, we gain more knowledge into
how diet impacts overall health, which is why
the DGAs are updated.
However, what is of particular interest
to some of us long-time participants
is how the 2025 Dietary Guidelines
Advisory Committee (DGAC) will balance
more subjective issues such as cultural
preferences with scientifically based
research on nutrient needs and healthy
eating patterns.
The DGAs have long served as
the cornerstone of federal nutrition
recommendations, mandated by Congress
as " based on the preponderance of the
scientific and medical knowledge which is
current at the time the report is prepared. "
However, the current process is seemingly
injecting more ambiguous metrics into
decision-making.
The government's panel of experts,
the DGAC, is proposing a new approach
by introducing a grouping of foods known
as the Staple Carbohydrate Group, which
encompasses certain carbohydrates. The
stated purpose for combining this limited
group of carbohydrates (grains, starchy red
and orange vegetables, starchy vegetables,
and beans/peas/lentils) is because these
foods are " important to many cultural
food ways. "
While laudable in its goal to address
cultural sensitivities, the origin of the
definition of Staple Carbohydrate is unclear.
According to the Staple Carbohydrate
protocol, staple carbohydrate foods are
foods eaten often, usually daily or multiple
times a day, that supply a large portion of
energy and nutrients in a dietary pattern.
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Spudman * April 2024
However, the metrics around this
classification lack specificity from a scientific
perspective. This is clear given three facts:
1. The Staple Carbohydrate Group
contains some but not all
carbohydrates that could be considered
critical ( " staple " ) to good health.
2. Dairy products could be classified as
" foods eaten often that supply a large
portion of energy and nutrients in a
dietary pattern, " but are not considered
a staple carbohydrate.
3. The foods included do not provide the
same nutrients.
All are sources of carbohydrates and can
be sources of fiber, but grains are sources
of B vitamins; starchy and other vegetables
provide vitamin C and potassium; and beans,
peas and lentils provide more protein, iron
and magnesium, among other nutrients.
The potential reclassification or
interchangeability of foods such as
potatoes under this new category that
departs from empirical definitions
has sparked confusion. While USDA
spokesperson Joellen Leavelle has said
there is no intention to reclassify potatoes,
the grouping of grains and starchy
vegetables under the umbrella of " staple
carbohydrates " suggests otherwise.
It is imperative that we seek clarity in
DGAs, ensuring that scientific principles,
built on a foundation of empirical metrics,
guide the classification of foods. Potatoes
are, scientifically speaking, vegetables.
Grains are grains. The two categories are
neither the same nor interchangeable.
Let us ensure that the DGAs accurately
reflect the preponderance of scientific
evidence, empowering dietitians to merge
this knowledge with their expertise to guide
individuals toward healthy dietary patterns.
Beth Johnson is CEO and founder of
food policy organization Food Directions
and the National Potato Council's nutrition
consultant.
April 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of April 2024
