The American Diabetes Association has made fresh Idaho potatoes part of its Better Choices for Life dietary program.

The purpose of the multi-year partnership is to help educate people about how they can add potatoes to their meal plans, according to a news release from the state Potato Commission.

Some 133 million Americans are diabetic or pre-diabetic. The top question the Diabetes Association gets involves what a person can eat, and many believe they cannot eat potatoes.

“We want those living with diabetes and pre-diabetes to feel confident eating potatoes with their breakfast, lunch or dinner as long as serving size and preparation recommendations are followed,” said Jamey Higham, Idaho Potato Commission president and CEO. “This partnership aims to enhance people’s understanding of nutrition, especially carbohydrates, help build healthy eating habits and debunk some myths about potatoes and diabetes.”

The commission likely will receive some negative feedback, he said at a recent commission board meeting. For example, some researchers want to classify a potato as a grain rather than a vegetable in recommended daily servings from basic food groups.

Idaho leads the U.S. in potato production.

The partnership has ramifications on packaging and labeling, and on other potato-growing states and national industry groups, Higham said at the board meeting.

The Idaho Potato Commission meets Better Choices nutrition guidelines, and the state’s potatoes “are a healthy vegetable on the Diabetes Plate,” said Dr. Laura Hieronymus, the Diabetes Association’s vice president of health care programs. “We look forward to working together to bring awareness of healthful choices and food preparation in our fight to manage and prevent diabetes.”

Participating products display the Better Choices mark on packages. Consumers in coming months will start to see it on selected 5- and 10-pound bags of fresh Idaho potatoes.

The association’s Diabetes Plate Method aims to help people eat healthily and manage blood sugar. A quarter of the plate consists of foods higher in carbohydrates including grains, starchy vegetables, beans and legumes, fruit, yogurt and milk.

Half of the plate is non-starchy vegetables and a quarter is lean protein.