Sweet Potato Vitamins
Sweet Potatoes
The sweet potato is so named because it contains an enzyme that converts the majority of its starches into sweet sugars as the potato matures. During storage and preparation this sweetness increases in intensity thus the name "sweet potato."
Sweet potatoes are available in two varieties:
pale yellow which has a dry flesh and the dark orange variety with a moist flesh which is somewhat sweeter than the yellow variety. The dark orange sweet potatoes are generally plumper in shape than the pale yellow variety. Both can be used interchangeably in recipes though they should not be used together in the same recipe as they have markedly different textures and cooking requirements. Both are Native American plants and are among the most nutritious tuberous roots in the vegetable kingdom supplying a whopping 21822 I.U. of vitamin A and 24.6 mg of vitamin C in one 4 ounce serving. That same serving will also yield 348 mg of potassium, 3.4 grams of fiber, 28 mg of calcium, 22.6 mcg of folic acid, 348 mg of potassium, 20 mg of magnesium, and 2 grams of protein. It is no wonder that the sweet potato is called the “nutrition powerhouse” of the garden and, if you want even more fiber, eat the skins – they are perfectly edible and quite tasty.
When you go to the supermarket to select your sweet potatoes you may see the plump dark orange variety labeled as yams – they are not yams. Yams are large (a single yam can exceed 50 pounds), starchy tubers that grow in the orient and Africa.
(yams)
Yams are significantly inferior to sweet potatoes nutritionally and are virtually unavailable in America. When you do choose your sweet potatoes remember that the dark orange variety is sweeter and takes less time to cook than the pale yellow variety. Regardless of variety, select potatoes that look fresh with no decay or bruises or sprouts. Because of the high sugar content, damaged sweet potatoes tend to spoil very quickly.
To keep sweet potatoes fresh for up to a month do not wash them. Store them in a cool, dry place such a root cellar, dry food storage pantry, or even in a shed or garage provided the inside temperature does not dip below freezing. Do not store sweet potatoes in your refrigerator where they will develop an unpalatable flavor and texture. If you are going to use your sweet potatoes within a week of purchase, you can keep them at room temperature with no discernable affect.
When it is time to prepare your sweet potatoes, wash them well and cook them whole and with the skins on. The skins can be easily removed once the sweet potatoes have been cooked and allowed to cool somewhat. Pierce the skin with a fork and cook in a 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes or until tender. Alternatively, you can prepare sweet potatoes in a microwave oven. Simply place the washed and pierced sweet potatoes on a paper towel and cook on “high” for 5 to 9 minutes for 2 medium sized sweet potatoes, and for 10 to 13 minutes for 4 medium sized sweet potatoes. The dark orange variety cooks faster than the pale yellow variety and will be done at the lower range of cooking times.
If you want to do something good for your body today, eat a sweet potato.
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George Fulton
Additional Resources:
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