When eaten as part of a meal, potatoes are generally used in place of other sources of starch, such as bread, pasta or rice. Because of this, they don't count towards your 5 A Day. Other vegetables that don't count towards your 5 A Day are yams, cassava and plantain. They're also usually eaten as starchy foods.
Do potatoes count as a serving of vegetable?
One potato serving is equivalent to a medium potato about 2.5 to 3 inches in diameter or one cup of diced or mashed potatoes. So while yes, potatoes count toward your daily vegetable intake, they should also be considered part of the carbohydrate portion of your meal.
Do sweet potato fries count as one of your 5 a day?
Regular white potatoes don't count as one of your five-a-day, but sweet potatoes do. They're usually more expensive than traditional spuds, but as a source of complex carbohydrate they're fantastic value for money, and like other orange fruit and veg, they contain beta-carotene.
Do mashed potatoes count as a vegetable?
Potatoes are vegetables. And mashed potatoes can count as vegetables as long as they are homemade.
Do onions count as 5 a day?
"Onions form the base of many dishes, so you may forget that they can actually contribute to another one of your portions of vegetables for your 5-a-day," points out dietitian Ro. So onions do count as a vegetable, and not just a flavour enhancer.
