DENVER/WASHINGTON, DC — The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Health and Human Services (HHS), and First Lady Michelle Obama unveiled the MyPlate icon Thursday, June 2, 2011. This colorful visual is based upon the recommendations from the 2010 Dietary Guidelines (DGA), and replaces the MyPyramid identifier. It suggests people eat balanced meals consisting of servings of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein and dairy. For the first time, the importance of making half the plate fruits and vegetables is represented with a food icon.
The National Potato Council (NPC) joins with the United States Potato Board (USPB) in congratulating USDA on developing this straightforward approach communicating how to create healthful plates with a balanced mix of nutrition from a variety of foods. Additionally, USDA developed ChooseMyPlate.gov to be a user-friendly tool in helping consumers make those healthy choices, complete with an educational series of “Ten Tips” on how to get started.
Potatoes are well positioned in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines as well as on MyPlate. Released by USDA in January 2011, the 2010 DGA recommended increased consumption of starchy vegetables including potatoes. Potatoes are mentioned multiple times in sample MyPlate menu plans as a food that is attractive to children, and in tips for incorporating more vegetables into meals. Potatoes are specifically recognized as a vegetable selected to meet the critical need for more potassium. Potatoes are also visually featured as a food having a good source of potassium.
In addition to potassium, one medium-size (5.3 ounce) skin-on potato contains just 110 calories per serving, provides almost half the daily value of vitamin C (45 percent), and contains no fat, sodium or cholesterol—all qualities elevating the need for potatoes to be on America’s plate.
The mission of the United States Potato Board is to increase demand for potatoes and potato products through an integrated promotion program, thereby providing US producers with expanding markets for their production. For complete information about the programs, ROI results, resources and tools available to all members of the industry through the USPB, please visit www.uspotatoes.com. The United States Potato Board—Maximizing Return on Grower Investment.
The National Potato Council is the advocate for the economic well-being of US potato growers on federal legislative, regulatory, environmental, and trade issues. Potato growers, along with the US potato industry as whole, directly benefit from involvement in the National Potato Council. NPC supports the US potato industry by monitoring issues affecting the strength and viability of the potato industry, influencing regulators and legislators on issues crucial to the industry's long term success, ensuring fair market access for potatoes and potato products, and bringing the unique issues and interests of diverse growing regions in the US together on a national level. The National Potato Council is a voluntary organization supported by quota assessments from state organizations, allied industry memberships and sponsorships, and directly by potato growers through membership dues.
Source: The National Potato Council