Hot Potatoes

    

     In the latest issue of Food Network Magazine there is an interesting statement about a familiar item at the Thanksgiving feast.  It is about sweet potatoes and asserts that "America's obsession with sweets isn't always a bad thing."  The annual per capita consumption of the ubiquitous tuber is currently 7 pounds, up from only 3.9 pounds just ten years ago.  Part of the credit for that increase is due to the fried version of this Central American native appearing on the menu at fast food chains like Wendy's and Burger King.  Sweet potatoes are also gaining celebrity status as several high profile individuals like Oprah Winfrey and Matthew Morrison are touting them.

     Sweet Potatoes have been eaten since pre-historic times.  This can be documented by the discovery of their relics in Peruvian caves that date back 10,000 years.  They were introduced to the Europeans when Columbus transported them when he returned there after his first voyage to the New World in 1492.  It was in the 16th Century that sweet potatoes were cultivated as a cash crop in the southern portion of North America.

     Sweet potatoes are an unsurpassed source of beta-carotene, which the body then converts into Vitamin A.  They are also powerful antioxidants with anti inflammatory characteristics.  They also are beneficial in regulating blood sugar.  Here is a chart that indicates their nutritional value:

Sweet Potato 1.00 cup baked 114.00 grams 102.60 calories
Nutrient	Amount	DV (%)	Nutrient Density	World's Healthiest Foods Rating
vitamin A	21908.52 IU	438.2	76.9	excellent
vitamin C	22.34 mg	37.2	6.5	very good
manganese	0.57 mg	28.5	5.0	very good
vitamin B6	0.33 mg	16.5	2.9	good
tryptophan	0.05 g	15.6	2.7	good
potassium	541.50 mg	15.5	2.7	good
fiber	3.76 g	15.0	2.6	good
vitamin B5	1.01 mg	10.1	1.8	good
copper	0.18 mg	9.0	1.6	good
vitamin B3	1.70 mg	8.5	1.5	good

     As mentioned above, sweet potatoes can be fried.  But they can also be enjoyed when they are baked, boiled or roasted.  And have you ever considered adding them to a stir fry recipe?  But nutritionally they are best served after steaming  1/2" slices for a mere 7 minutes.  That way their nutritional value is maximized and their sweet flavor is preserved.  And the flavor can be given an even greater boost by the addition of cinnamon, nutmeg or cloves sprinkled on them.

     Available year round, we would do ourselves a great favor to include them in our diet for more than just one day a year.