N.C. Sweet Potatoes – Facts & Recipes

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N.C. Sweet Potatoes 

Did you know that North Carolina is the number one producer of sweet potatoes in the United States? The crop originated in Central and South America and made its way across the world. In 1971, North Carolina became the number one producer of this root vegetable in the U.S. and has held this title since. They are also a great source of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that are beneficial to our health. It’s also a versatile ingredient for a variety of savory and sweet dishes. It’s no wonder this vegetable has become a staple for Thanksgiving and other traditional holiday meals. 

On November 13th, I’ll be joining storytime at Liberty Library to celebrate all things sweet potatoes. This event is best for ages 0 to 5 years. See the link below for more information or to register. 

Sweet Potato Storytime event details here

Facts about Sweet Potatoes: 

  • Sweet potatoes can be traced back to Central and South America over 5,000 years ago. 
  • North Carolina is the number one producer of sweet potatoes harvesting 77,800 acres of sweet potatoes in 2023 according to the USDA. 
  • NC Sweetpotatoes would like for sweet potato to become one word – sweetpotato. Their thoughts are that this spelling will help distinguish these orange root vegetables from white potatoes. Sweet in this case is not an adjective, but part of the noun. 
  • Sweet potatoes are a good source of vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. 
  • There are different varieties of sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes with orange flesh are rich in the phytonutrient beta carotene while those with purple colored flesh are rich in the phytonutrient anthocyanin. Both of these phytonutrients have been shown to be beneficial to health. 
  • Boiling sweet potatoes for a shorter amount of time helps retain more beta carotene and nutrients than other cooking methods. Leaving the skin on when boiling also helps prevent loss of nutrients. 
  • Yams and sweet potatoes are different. Yams are native to Africa and tend to be longer, lighter, and have a higher starch content. Sweet potatoes are native to the Americas and are known for their orange (sometimes purple) color, shorter length, and smooth exterior. 

Super Simple Sweet Potato Fries

Recipe from Homegrown

Ingredients:

  • 2 large sweet potatoes
  • 2 Tbsp corn starch
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Sea salt and pepper to taste
  • Optional herbs: rosemary, basil, oregano

Directions: 

  1. Peel and cut sweet potatoes into fry size strips. 
  2. Soak potato strips in water for one hour and rinse. 
  3. Toss strips in cornstarch and arrange on baking sheet, lined with parchment paper. 
  4. Drizzle olive oil over strips and sprinkle on salt, pepper and herbs of your choice. 
  5. Roast in the oven at 350°F until crisp, about 20 to 25 minutes. 

More Sweet Potato Recipes:

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