by Shannon Farlouis

Created on: November 21, 2009

The Sweet Potato

5000 years ago is when sweet potatoes were first introduced to the United States. Candied sweet potatoes are usually served for Thanksgiving here in the United States. They are part of a great American tradition. Sweet potatoes are healthy for you. The sweet potato is the official Louisiana state vegetable.

There are a variety of ways that you can prepare sweet potatoes. You can make sweet potato pie or sweet potato butter. Sweet potatoes can be fried or made into sweet potato chips. Sweet potatoes may be steamed or boiled or baked. They really are delicious and they are a good source of vitamins and minerals for your diet. Beta carotene, zinc, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, calcium, folate, niacin, riboflavin, thiamine, vitamins A and C, and protein are some of the good things that sweet potatoes contain.

China is the leader in the production of sweet potatoes. They provide the world with 80% of the sweet potatoes produced. Sweet potatoes are an important part of diet here in America. Compared to the other vegetables the sweet potato ranks the highest in nutritional values. Sweet potatoes are a very beneficial food for diabetics. Studies have revealed that they help to stabilize the blood sugar levels and they also lower insulin resistance in diabetics.

Sometimes the sweet potato can be confused with the yam. The sweet potato is not even related to the yam family. Sweet potatoes grow in tropical and warmer regions. Sweet potatoes have a long history of cultivation here in Louisiana. The sweet potatoes were a favorite food of the French and the Spanish settlers. In Mississippi there is a National Sweet Potato Festival that is held in celebration of this vegetable. In Kentucky they celebrate a Tater Day Festival. In Tennessee the sweet potato celebration is held at the Tater Town Special.

Sweet potatoes are very rich in dietary fiber. They also contain complex carbohydrates. Sweet potatoes are an important tradition in southern cooking. Don't forget to add sweet potatoes to your menu for Thanksgiving. They will certainly add flavor to any meal. The sweet potato is orange in color and will add color to any table. Sweet potatoes may be even served for breakfast with bacon. Mmmmm tasty! When sweet potatoes are cooked they have a great aroma. They make an excellent fall or winter dish come alive with taste. Served with turkey they are amazing!

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