Everyone knows the name of the potato, which is the main food at the present time. But at the same time, few people think about the fact that even potato tubers can be different in their taste. There is, for example, sweet potato - this is also a sweet potato. It belongs to the bindweed family. The name "batat" appeared in Russian from other languages. It has been proven that this word is borrowed from the Arawak language.
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Description of sweet potato
Visually, this vegetable can be seen and distinguished from others almost immediately. It is a liana with large and long roots, because it is in them that the fruits are formed. Usually the height of such a herbaceous vegetable equal to 15 to 18 centimeters.
The tubers are formed from the roots of the sweet potato that are on the side. The color of the tubers can be very different: white, pink, yellow, cream, orange, red or even purple. The pulp of such a tuber is edible. It should be noted that one such tuber can weigh in different ways: both 200 grams and more than 3 kilograms. The leaves are small, but on long petioles.
This potato also blooms and its flowers are medium-sized, they come in different colors. Usually they are either pink, or white, or pale lilac in color. They are usually pollinated with the help of bees.
It is believed that such potatoes are the presence lots of delicate fiber, in which there is a huge amount of sugar and starch. One hundred grams of such a product accounts for about 61 calories. It contains a lot of proteins and carbohydrates, but there is no fat at all.
Spreading sweet potato
Areas where such a vegetable is grown are usually either tropical or subtropical regions. But if you create all the conditions, then, accordingly, you can grow a sweet potato vegetable in those areas of the world where the climate is temperate.
The high yield of sweet potatoes pleases those who are engaged in its cultivation. Usually from one hectare of land collect from 10 to 12 tons, but depending on climatic conditions, for example, in the tropics, its yield can reach up to 30 tons per hectare.
Countries such as Indonesia, China or India specialize in growing this type of potato. Therefore, it is grown in these countries in huge volumes. So, China today is the world leader in the high yield of sweet potatoes. But there are countries where this type of potato, despite the fact that it is sweet, is the main food. First of all, we are talking about Rwanda, New Guinea, Burundi, Uganda and the Solomon Islands.
In America, sweet potatoes are widespread, but in this country it is customary to call it yam. This is a misnomer, as yams are a slightly different plant. Yam is also known in Israel, as well as in Georgia and Central Asia. But in Russia, sweet potato is a rather rare plant. But that may change in the near future.
The benefits and harms of sweet potatoes
This unusual potato with a sweet taste is recommended for people who have any digestive disorders. Particular attention should be paid to the trampoline for those who cannot tolerate the fiber that comes into the body from vegetables such as beets, carrots and others.
You can also extract starch from sweet potatoes, which will later be used for medicinal purposes. This starch is very useful. for the treatment of the gastrointestinal tract... It has a pleasant effect on the stomach and creates such a feeling as if it envelops it. There are other medicinal uses for sweet potatoes. So, this sweet product can act as an excellent general tonic.
In China, this sweet product is credited with many other medicinal properties, among which some seem simply magical, given the diseases in which it can help. Women need to pay close attention to sweet potato, because it contains natural female hormones that are valuable during menopause. For example, progesterone.
But if a person has any ulcerative diseases, then such a sweet product is clearly contraindicated for him, since among the properties of such potatoes there are mucosal irritation digestive system. Sweet potatoes are also not recommended for young mothers or women who are expecting a baby. There are also cases when there is intolerance to this type of potato, but these are already individual characteristics of a person.
How to grow sweet potatoes
You can grow sweet potato seedlings. To begin with, it will be enough to purchase only one or two tubers, and then they will multiply quite quickly. Of course, the question may arise about where to buy sweet potatoes. But it is best to get it in supermarkets. Already in January, these tubers should be planted in a special seedling box in order to get good shoots.
To grow good seedlings of this sweet product, you need prepare the soil correctly... The composition for growing seedlings is as follows:
- Earth.
- Sand.
- Humus.
The ratio is usually 1: 1: 1. On top, the sweet potato tubers are well sprinkled with sand and must be watered frequently. As soon as the seedlings germinate, then they will need to be transplanted from pre-prepared pots with soil. Here you can also divide the potato tubers.
But in open ground, you can plant seedlings only when the frost has passed, since sweet potatoes are still heat-loving plant... But sometimes at first, especially at night, it is good to cover with some kind of material or even a film, so that there is protection from unexpected frosts.
If the weather is too hot, then the foliage of this plant may turn yellow. Harvest in the fall, but in about two weeks it is worth stopping watering, because only the harvested crop will be well and long-term stored. If the sweet potato is properly dried and cleaned, then it will be perfectly preserved until spring.
Sweet potato varieties
In the modern world, there are a huge number of types of this product. If we take statistics, then only in China more than 100 varieties of this plant are grown. But, unfortunately, no one knows many names, and all this happens because there is no classification that would have been officially approved.
This plant is accepted in official science. will be divided into several types:
- Vegetable.
- Fodder.
- Dessert.
In Japan, there are currently such plant species where there are no tubers, but only a well-developed leaf part.
How to divide varieties among themselves? What is the basis of this division? There are several ways to determine the grade of this product. First of all, you need look for the following signs:
Coloring of the peel.- Tuber pulp color.
- Tuber shape (it can be spherical, as if it looks like a tomato), or elongated fusiform (similar in shape to carrots). The second form is most common. It is very rare to find a plant that resembles a coiled snake in its shape.
- Productivity.
- By the color and shape of the leaves.
- By the accuracy of the formation of tubers.
Today the most popular varieties are: "Salmon", "Nancy - Hall" (known as a pumpkin variety), "Red Ginseng", "He - tung" (known more as a chestnut variety), "Vir-85", "Caramel "," Hua - Bey "," Virgin 11 "," Hat Bay "," Gocha "and others.
Sweet potato in cooking
Most often, sweet potatoes, a photo of which you will find in the gallery, used for saladsbecause in its raw form it is very rich in vitamins. But this product will be no less tasty if you just fry it. If you bake the sweet potato, then with cereals, boiled vegetables or any salads will be a very interesting and delicious taste.
The sweet potato is eaten and boiled. It can be added in this boiled form to cutlets, soups or mashed potatoes. You can cook delicious jam or jam from this product. And if the young leaves of this plant are soaked, then they are perfect for a variety of decoctions. The seeds must be roasted and then they can be ground to make coffee.
Interesting Facts
It is known that when using this product, sexual desire appears and increases. This became known in 1595. And this is explained by the fact that it contains progesterone.
Different countries prefer different varieties of this product. So, it is known that Americans choose those tubers where the fruit is orange in color, and Asians have purple flesh. By the way, in Asia, in the second place in the use of this product are those tubers where the color is cream, but the surface must be smooth. They bake it, and the dish turns out to be delicious.
In cooking, tubers can be cooked with different tastes: banana, nut, banana with nut, pumpkin, zucchini, chestnut, melon.
We can talk about the use of this product for a long time, because from it get sugar, flour, and coffee (from seeds), and even alcohol. And what an excellent seasoning for salads and other dishes is obtained from the juice of soaked or boiled leaves!
Use the beneficial properties of sweet potatoes and eat it for health!
