11-11 IAN Potatoes in Lunchroom

 A recent story in the Idaho statesman said and I quote: The Senate threw its support behind the potato Tuesday, voting to block an Obama administration proposal to limit the vegetable on school lunch lines. The Agriculture Department proposed rules earlier this year supposedly based on research that potatoes are fattening for kids.  They wanted to limit lunchrooms to two servings a week of potatoes and other starchy vegetables. That angered the potato industry, some school districts and members of Congress from potato-growing states, who say USDA should focus on the preparation instead and that potatoes can be a good source of fiber and potassium.

Here’s  Executive Director of the Idaho Potato Commission, Frank Muir: “It is interesting that one of the researchers from Harvard was quoted some years ago as saying that potatoes have the nutrient equivalents of table sugar. Now how one who is supposedly a very learned scientist could take any food that is loaded with protein, fiber, vitamin C, potassium and say that is equal to table sugar is beyond me. It marks the credibility of the study.”

Based on watching an unnamed member of the Obama family over the last 3 years, I am not confident that he should be dealing out dietary advice.