The sweet potato is an edible tuber.
The etymological root of sweet potato is found in the Nahuatl word camotli . The term is used in several American countries and in the Philippines to refer to the sweet potato .
Before analyzing what the concept of sweet potato refers to, it is important to mention that sweet potato also has other regional uses. These meanings usually appear in colloquial language .
Characteristics of sweet potato as a plant
A vegetable that is part of the convolvulaceae family group is called sweet potato or sweet potato . This perennial plant has a creeping stem, heart-shaped leaves and large bell-shaped flowers that are whitish on the outside and reddish on the inside.
With the scientific name Ipomoea batatas , the sweet potato has rounded seeds and unusual fruits. Its domestication took place in the tropical zone of the American continent, landing on the European continent in the 15th century thanks to the expeditions led by Christopher Columbus .
Today sweet potato cultivation has expanded worldwide, with China being the most important producer. The agricultural interest in this species is due to its tubers , a highly appreciated food.
There are several ways to cook sweet potato.
A very popular tuber
The name sweet potato is used to refer to both the plant and its edible tuber . It is worth mentioning that a tuber is a sector of a root or an underground stem that increases its thickness considerably from the accumulation of substances that serve as a reserve .
In the case of the sweet potato, it is usually about five centimeters in diameter and about twelve centimeters in length. On the outside it has a brownish tone, while on the inside it is white or yellowish.
The sweet potato stands out for its levels of minerals , fibers and vitamins : it contains starch, vitamin C and potassium, for example. The greater or lesser amount of beta-carotene, meanwhile, makes it more or less yellow.
How to consume sweet potato
Sweet potato can be prepared in multiple ways. It is common for it to be used as a garnish or accompaniment to meat , to mention one possibility.
If you boil it, it acquires a soft consistency ideal for making puree . Baked sweet potatoes , on the other hand, tend to be somewhat crunchy on the outside but creamy on the inside. You can also eat sweet potato fries , as well as potatoes or French fries.
Precisely, unlike the potato, the sweet potato is also used in desserts and pastries . This is due to the fructose , glucose and sucrose it contains, substances that give it a somewhat sweet taste.
The difference with the sweet potato
Many times confusion occurs between the notions of sweet potato , sweet potato and sweet potato . As we already indicated above, sweet potato and sweet potato are synonyms .
In the case of sweet potato, it is also often used as a synonym, although it generally refers specifically to the variety of sweet potato whose flesh is white .
Other names given to the sweet potato are moniato , sweet potato or sweet potato . The preference for one or the other depends on the vocabulary of each country.