Description
Savour the sweet, earthy flavour of our sweet potatoes, perfect for baking, roasting, mashing, or grilling, adding a nutritious and delicious twist to your favourite meals. Available in our Local Farm Shop in Bellaghy, Mid Ulster Area.
🥔 Sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) are vibrant, starchy root vegetables native to tropical America and part of the morning glory family. They’re not just delicious—they’re botanical multitaskers!
🌱 Physical Characteristics
- Roots: Tuberous, elongated, and tapered with smooth skin
- Skin colors: Yellow, orange, red, brown, purple, or beige
- Flesh colors: White, orange, pink, red, violet, or purple
- Leaves: Heart-shaped or lobed, often green but can appear purple due to anthocyanins
- Flowers: Funnel-shaped, typically lavender or rose-violet, resembling morning glories
🍽️ Culinary & Nutritional Highlights
- Taste: Naturally sweet, especially when cooked; orange varieties are sweeter and moister
- Uses: Boiled, baked, roasted, mashed, fried, or even made into pies and casseroles
- Nutrition:
- Rich in beta carotene (vitamin A precursor)
- Good source of vitamin C, potassium, and fiber
- Contains unique proteins called sporamins with antioxidant properties
🌍 Cultural & Historical Tidbits
- Cultivated for over 5,000 years in Central and South America
- Spread to Polynesia pre-Columbus, then globally via trade and colonization
- Often confused with yams in North America, though they’re botanically unrelated
🌿 Bonus: Not Just the Roots!
- Leaves and shoots are edible too—high in protein and vitamins like B1, B2, and folic acid
- Used as nutritious greens and even livestock fodder in some regions
