Ipomoea batatas
French: patate douce
A tuber from the buckwheat family, sweet potato grows in tropical regions. Its orange flesh adds a lively note to any plate.
This is the "real" potato, even though it has no relation to the potato. The Taino Indians gave it the name "batata."
Slightly sweet, it can be part of any course from starter to dessert with a flavor that is reminiscent both of carrot and chestnut.
Low in calories, sweet potatoes contain a high level of antioxidants, vitamin A and minerals which make it a good choice on the dietary level since it prolongs our youth.
Very popular in South America, the West Indies and the southern United States, the sweet potato is also beloved of the Japanese. The sweet, orange-colored sweet potato comes in over 400 varieties of differing shapes and sizes, with smooth or rough skins and flesh that can be either dry or moist. There are two main groups: Dry sweet potatoes, with pale, floury fleshy; and moist sweet potatoes, higher in sugar, more orange in color, and softer when cooked.
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