What is it?

Sweet potato is not a potato, but a root crop - similar to a yam.

They were first found in South America, where they form part of their everyday diet.

How healthy is the Sweet Potato?

It puts our ordinary white potato to shame in the health stakes!

Sweet potatoes offer an excellent source of Vitamin A, E and C as well as dietary fibre, potassium and iron. It also helps us to fight disease.

If you enjoy sport, sweet potatoes are the ultimate sports nutrition, packed full of complex carbohydrates for slow releasing energy.

Where are Sweet Potatoes Grown?

There are two varieties that are both grown during the summer, harvested in the Autumn and stored so that we can enjoy them throughout the year.

The orange varieties are available around the year from the USA and Israel. North Carolina is the only state that grows the vegetable in the USA.

The Kumara Variety comes from New Zealand, an ancient variety of yam originally grown by the maories.

How is it grown and harvested?

Sweet potatoes are grown fom the 'slips' or sprouts from the mother stock, planted straight into the ground.

The growth cycle from planting to harvesting is 22-24 weeks.

Harvesting is done by hand, as the product is prone to damage and bruising.

After harvesting, the vegetable is kept in warm storage to enable its full flavour to develop.

Enjoying Sweet Potatoes

While steaming is the best way to preserve the minerals and nutrients, it's universally agreed that the best taste comes from roasting or baking the vegetable.

Try BBQ Sweet Potoato - simply cover in foil and you'll never eat another baked potato!

Remember not to refrigerate sweet potatoes - as it can blacken on cooking and destroy its sweet flavour.

sweet potato