Ode to a sweet potato; it's National Sweet Potato Month

February 4, 8:00 PMNutrition ExaminerAnnie Kay

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  I yam a sweet potato.   Photo

If you haven't checked your food & drink holiday calendar recently, it may be just dawning on you that sweet potatoes are the root of the month. Nutritionists can't go far without someone who know their profession talking to them about what they eat. One of the most regular outbursts I hear from those who learn what I do is some variation of: "I'm so glad that sweet potatoes are so healthy." There's a lot of passion out there for sweet potatoes. So, here it is. Ode to a sweet potato, the root that inspires lyric praise.

Strope - nutrition

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) puts sweet potatoes in the #1 position on their top 10 healthy foods list.  They're high in betacarotene (a vitamin A equivalent), vitamin C, and B6. Sweet potatoes a good source of  potassium, decent source of iron, and if you include the skin, an excellent source of fiber. Darker flesh will give you more beta carotene in your sweet potato. While they taste sugary, they're not, and  there has been a recent study that suggests sweet potatoes helped stabilize blood sugar for people with diabetes. There are several other things about sweet potatoes that make them nutritionally interesting that you can read about here.

If you are following an anti inflammatory diet, make sure that sweet potatoes are on your shopping list.

Antistrophe - basics & storage

There are over 400 varieties of sweet potatoes that range from white to orange to purple. There is some debate in the nutrition and culinary communities over sweet potatoes vs. yams, and in the US because we tend to be not so precise in our vegetable terminology, the yams we eat are sweet potatoes.  There is an African yam that is roundish with a dark skin, not tapered, and generally only found in tropical specialty stores. Sweet potatoes are actually not potatoes, either, but an entirely different root vegetable.

Sweet potatoes can be stored year round in a cool, dry place so they are good to eat at all times, without having a particular season when they are at their best.  Don't refrigerate sweet potatoes; they're best kept between 55 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit (12 to 18 degrees Celsius).

Epode - culinary

Try baked sweet potatoes instead of baked or mashed potatoes for a nutrition boost.  "Sweet potato fries" are delicious and easy - just slice, toss in olive oil and bake at 400F for 10-15 minutes, then top with salt and pepper. They cook in the microwave similarly to regular potatoes - score them with a knife, then microwave on high for 4-6 minutes, until soft.

Resist the temptation to top your sweet potatoes with marshmallows, though I know many have been raised on this combination. Rather, see if you can just enjoy sweet potato's natural sweetness. I know I know, but I'm a dietitian so I have to make that suggestion.

Tip: When you slice them, use a stainless steel knife, even if you prefer carbon blades, as a carbon blade will cause a sweet potato to darken.

Sweet potatoes are a favorite of some of the new culinary blogs, and you'll find some wonderfully creative recipes there.