North Carolina Sweetpotatoes
A Sweet Southern Tradition
Whether you grew up with sweet potatoes on the holiday menu or not, chances are you see them just about everywhere these days. Sweet potato fries, hummus, salads, gnocchi, and even dog treats – sweet potatoes have taken the food world by storm, and that’s good news for North Carolina!
Characterized by their rosy skin and bright orange flesh, sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) are an iconic Southern staple that the rest of the country has only recently caught on to. Originally from the American tropics, they resemble potatoes in that they are underground tubers, but otherwise the two are completely unrelated – potatoes are actually more closely related to tomatoes and eggplants!
Since their initial domestication in the tropics, sweet potatoes have found a comfortable home in the South, particularly in North Carolina, which is the nation’s number one sweet potato producer. While everyone else might be in on the secret, sweet potatoes remain a distinctly North Carolinian treat we’re lucky enough to enjoy year round!
Sweetpotatoes in North Carolina
Sweet potatoes, which originally had much paler flesh, evolved in the American tropics and were first domesticated by the indigenous civilizations of Central and South America. Trade between these Pre-Columbian societies eventually sent the sweet potato around the world: from Polynesia and New Zealand to the Caribbean and, most importantly for us, the American South. These tropical tubers thrived in our hot, humid summers and were cultivated by Native American tribes and, as early as 1648, European colonialists [1].
Since then, sweet potatoes became a regional staple but struggled to gain a foothold elsewhere in the country. National popularity surged in the early and mid-2010s as their numerous health benefits were publicized as a way to combat obesity, diabetes, and other health conditions [2].
Today, you can find sweet potatoes on shelves and menus all across the country, but they remain at home in North Carolina like nowhere else. Let’s explore why!
As American as…Sweetpotato Pie?
Location, Location, Location
Sweet potatoes’ role in North Carolina agriculture is the result of various cultural and geographic factors, one of the most important of which is our soil and subtropical climate. North Carolina’s hot, humid summers are perfect for a crop that evolved in the tropics and requires up to 120 days of warm weather to mature [3]. Moreover, sweet potatoes need loose, well-drained soil to grow the large, well-shaped tubers we see at the grocery store, and eastern North Carolina has this type of soil in abundance. Known as sandy loam, this fertile mixture of fine loam and coarse sand is the perfect medium to grow sweet potatoes and the counties that boast these soils – namely Johnston, Nash, Sampson, and Wilson Counties – are the top sweet potato producers in the state [4].
Looking at the map below, we can see that sweet potatoes thrive in the Coastal Plains, with additional centers of production in the Sandhills and around Edenton in the northeast [5, 6].
Fan Favorites
So if sweet potatoes love North Carolina, what sweet potatoes does North Carolina love? For years, the most popular sweet potato variety in the U.S. was Beauregard, a moist orange-fleshed variety developed at Louisiana State University in 1987. However, today Beauregard has a staunch competitor in Covington, another moist orange-fleshed variety bred at NC State University in 2009 with increased disease resistance. Farmers throughout North Carolina grow both varieties and it’s a good chance that the sweet potatoes you buy at the farmers market or grocery store are either Beauregard or Covington [7].
Another increasingly popular sweet potato in North Carolina is Stokes Purple, a purple-fleshed variety developed in Stokes County. Relatively unheard of until a few years ago, Stokes Purple can now be found in certain farmers markets and supermarkets [8].
Although these are the most commercially available sweet potatoes in the state, always keep your eyes peeled at farmers markets and roadside stands! Small local farmers are great sources of uncommon specialty vegetable varieties, and sweet potatoes are no exception. Who knows, you might discover a new favorite!
Sourcing Sweetpotatoes
Since North Carolina is the nation’s top sweet potato producer, you’re likely already buying sweet potatoes grown within the state. Though uncommon just a few decades ago, these tasty tubers can now be found in every major grocery store chain, particularly orange-fleshed varieties such as Beauregard and Covington. Sweet potatoes store well and are available throughout the year, with the new crop appearing on market shelves in mid-fall, which often brings a price drop just in time for the holidays.
Interested in exploring the full rainbow? Purple-fleshed sweet potatoes can be increasingly found at farmers markets and specialty grocers; keep an eye out for Stokes Purple, which is currently one of the most common varieties. For cream-fleshed sweet potatoes, check your nearest international or Asian market for Murasaki, or farmers markets for O’Henry.
If you’re looking for sweet potatoes even closer to home, there are plenty of options to explore below!
Visit NC Farms App
Farmers Market
Gleaning
Gleaning
For folks in the know, there’s a way to get the freshest sweet potatoes possible. Right from the field of course! Sweet potatoes, like all fruits and vegetables sold in grocery stores, must meet certain size and shape standards to make it to market shelves. Therefore, any product that doesn’t meet those requirements must be left behind, even though they are perfectly safe to eat.
Enter gleaning, the practice of gathering leftover fruits and vegetables from the field. Gleaning sweet potatoes is a great way to reduce food waste and obtain healthy produce at reduced – or sometimes even zero – cost! Just make sure you have permission from the farmer and don’t mind getting a little dirty!
Ready to start a new fall tradition? Volunteer with the Society of St. Andrew at their annual NC Yam Jam, which runs through October into early November and donates gleaned sweet potatoes to those in need. If you’re looking to stock your own pantry, consider contacting a local sweet potato farmer and asking for permission to glean their fields after harvest.
Learn more about proper gleaning etiquette and post-harvest storage here!
Gleaning
Types of Sweetpotatoes
Orange-Fleshed Sweetpotatoes
Purple-Fleshed Sweetpotatoes
Cream-Fleshed Sweetpotatoes
These are the most common sweet potatoes we encounter in the U.S., the iconic red-skinned, orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes are the sweetest variety and are characterized as “moist” since their cooked texture is extremely soft. Extremely palatable to most people and suitable for both sweet and savory dishes:
Common orange-fleshed sweet potato varieties include Covington, Beauregard, and Jewel, amongst many others. Though they look very similar, there are slight differences in sweetness, moisture, and texture that distinguish them. Don’t worry too much though, these properties don’t drastically alter how you use them, so simply choose your preferred variety and get cooking!
You may have seen purple sweet potatoes in your local supermarket recently and wondered if such a thing were possible. Wonder no longer! Yes, purple sweet potatoes exist and they are just as delicious as their more popular sibling. These sweet potatoes can be either dry or moist, but even the moistest ones tend to be drier and starchier, so you may have to add extra liquid as you cook. Depending on the variety, they may have white or purple skin; generally, white-skinned potatoes tend to be the drier of the two. Use purple-fleshed sweet potatoes any way you would orange-fleshed ones and prepare to get compliments on the dazzling color.
If you’re looking to try purple sweet potatoes, keep an eye out for names such as Purple Stokes, Purple Majesty, and Okinawan or Hawaiian. Of these varieties, Purple Stokes has the moistest flesh and is most suitable as an orange sweet potato substitute. Purple Majesty and Okinawan sweet potatoes are both relatively dry and benefit from moist-cooking methods (steaming, boiling, mashing, etc.)
Cream or white-fleshed sweet potatoes remain virtually unseen in large supermarket chains – their loss! These sweet potatoes are more commonly seen abroad and have a distinctly nutty sweetness that pairs well with their dry starchiness. While they may be unfamiliar to the American palate, don’t pass them by if you have the chance. Just be sure to respect their unique merits and don’t substitute them for orange or purple sweet potatoes!
Cream-fleshed sweet potatoes can have either purple-red or white skin, but the most popular is undoubtedly the purple-skinned Murasaki from Japan. These sweet potatoes are traditionally baked in foil over a fire or in the oven, then topped with a pat of butter to highlight their nutty sweetness. Other cream-fleshed varieties include O’Henry and Boniato.
Yams: A Case of Stolen Identity
If you’ve put roots down in the South, you have probably bought – or at least seen – yams before…or have you? In reality, the oft-reached can of yams are actually sweet potatoes! True yams are a native African crop with dry, starchy white flesh and tough bark-like skin that are a world away from the “yams” we eat.
The term arose when enslaved Africans were forcibly brought to the Americas and sundered from their traditional foodways. Sweet potatoes, which at the time were less sweet and had paler flesh, were roughly analogous to the yams and thus formed a cornerstone of the diaspora diet, inheriting their name in the process (Library of Congress).
Next time you’re looking for a can of yams, check for a disclaimer on the label to reveal their true identity!
Despite their deceptively sweet taste, sweet potatoes are actually incredibly healthy! Hailed as a “superfood” in recent years, sweet potatoes actually live up to the hype, being loaded with complex carbohydrates, fiber, and various vitamins and minerals [9].
Sweet potatoes are particularly well-known as an excellent source of vitamin A, which scientific literature has linked to vision and eye health, skin health, and improved immune system functions. Like other orange and yellow vegetables, sweet potatoes derive their color from beta-carotene, a building block of vitamin A [10].
Meanwhile, purple-fleshed sweet potatoes are sources of anthocyanin, a compound found in blue and purple fruits and vegetables that may have antioxidant properties [11].
Nutrition
Recipes
If you’ve only had sweet potatoes in marshmallow-topped casseroles, get ready to discover a new culinary world. Sweet potatoes can be used in savory and sweet recipes and can be prepared in a variety of ways, from roasting and baking to boiling and mashing. Check out some of these recipes from the North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission and get cooking!
Breakfast
Lunch & Dinner
Dessert
Tubers actually aren’t the only edible part of the sweet potato plant: their leaves are also extremely nutritious! Sweet potato greens have a high content of polyphenols – organic compounds found in plants that may contribute to improved gut health and other health outcomes, though research is still ongoing [12].
In terms of taste, sweet potato leaves are commonly compared to spinach and turnip greens, ranging from mild to slightly bitter. For milder, sweeter greens, pick tender young shoots, which can be eaten raw in salads. Older greens should be cooked to reduce bitterness; try throwing them in a curry or soup, or slow-cooking them like collards.
Sweet potato leaves are most commonly found in international markets, but don’t hesitate to ask around your local farmers market to see if any sweet potato growers saved their greens. Learn more about sweet potato greens with Transplanting Traditions, a community garden and farm serving Burmese refugees in Chapel-Hill, NC!
