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Benefits of organic sweet potatoes

Benefits of organic sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a source of Potassium, β-carotene and Folic Acid. They can help to prevent heat diseases, stimulate the growth of healthy gut bacteria, take care of our vision, stabilize sugar level and reduce Cholesterol.
TAIWAN ORGANIC TEA & INGRRDIENTS

Benefits of organic sweet potatoes

People call sweet potatoes differently, including yam, sweet potato, red potato and Taiwan Green Taro. Originated from Central and Southern America, sweet potatoes were brought to the Philippines by Spanish fleets and then to China during the Ming dynasty (late 16th centuries) because of bilateral trade. When were they brought to Taiwan? According to “Notes on Eastern Barbarians (東番記)” written by Chen Di, vegetables such as green onions, gingers, and sweet potatoes were found in Taiwan. Sweet potatoes, which have been grown in Taiwan for more than 400 years, play an important role in elders’ memory of their tough times and are considered as cancer-fighting food nowadays. The fate of sweet potatoes has been completely changed.

Sweet potatoes prefer a warm climate and full sun as well as thick and light sandy loam soil with high content of organic matters and good drainage. Such soil can promote root growth and nutrient absorption. Sweet potatoes grow best in moderate to slightly acidic soil with a pH of 5.6 to 6.5 and have a wide ecological adaptation. Farmers can grow sweet potatoes throughout the entire year and get the best quality and flavor in the harvesting season from December to March because of the suitable climate.

Organic farmers grow sweet potatoes on 40-cm-high raised beds. They bury vine cuttings with 5 to 7 leaves into the soil at a 45-degree angle with their hands and then begin hilling the potatoes by gently mounding the soil from the center of rows around the stems of the plant. Good irrigation and homemade liquid fertilizer are both essential to the plants. Stems should be spread out while growing. To have the most nutrients for each plant, only 2 to 4 potatoes are kept on each plant. Regular hand weeding is necessary. Sweet potatoes require a growing period of 5 to 6 months to produce a good yield and can be harvested both by hands and by machines. The main organic production areas are Yunlin, Taichung, Changhua, Tainan and New Taipei City (Jin Shan). Sweet potato roasting activities in clay ovens are held in many production areas for people to enjoy harvesting during the harvest season. Sweet potatoes do play an important and friendly role in Farm to-School Food Education.

Chiayi Agricultural Experiment Station started sweet potatoes breeding in Taiwan and has developed more than 100 varieties to meet demands changing from time to time. The most popular variety, “Tainong 57 Golden Sweet Potato (黃金地瓜)”, is regarded as “National Sweet Potato” for its soft and creamy taste and caramelization smell. The second and third popular varieties among organic farmers are respectively “Tainong 66 Red Heart Sweet Potato (紅心)” and “Yam Sweet Potato (紫芋地瓜), which is also called Taro Sweet Potato and has rich anthocyanin and low sugar content. “Japanese Sweet Potato (金時地瓜)” has purple skin and yellow flesh with sweet chestnut-like texture and flavor. Organic farmers also plant special varieties for consumers’ preferences, such as Water Chestnut Sweet Potato with violet skin, Simon Sweet Potato with white skin and flesh and rare Kwaiyao Sweet Potato.

Sweet potatoes are a source of Potassium, β-carotene and Folic Acid. They can help to prevent heat diseases, stimulate the growth of healthy gut bacteria, take care of our vision, stabilize sugar level and reduce Cholesterol. Different varieties of sweet potatoes are cooked in different ways, such as simmering, boiling, roasting and frying. Now sweet potatoes easily become a part of our meals and are regarded as super food globally.


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