Everything you need to know about Mississippi-grown sweet potatoes — from nutrition to storage and how to enjoy them year-round.
Despite what many grocery stores and recipes say, sweet potatoes and yams are not the same thing.
True yams belong to the Dioscorea family and are native to Africa. They have rough, scaly skin and grow only in tropical climates because they need a long growing season. True yams are low in beta-carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin C, and they are most commonly eaten in parts of Africa, South and Central America, the West Indies, and Asia.
Here’s the key thing to know:
There are no true yams grown in the United States for food.
Everything labeled a “yam” in U.S. grocery stores is actually a sweet potato.
Over time, the name “yam” stuck as a way to describe softer, orange-fleshed sweet potatoes — especially in the South — and the terms are now commonly used interchangeably.
Beta-carotene is a natural compound found in plant foods and gives sweet potatoes their orange color. It is a precursor to vitamin A, meaning your body converts it into vitamin A as needed.
Beta-carotene also acts as an antioxidant, helping protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. Sweet potatoes are one of the best natural sources of beta-carotene.
Both sweet potatoes and white potatoes provide important nutrients, including:
Sweet potatoes offer an added nutritional advantage.They provide more than five times the recommended daily amount of vitamin A and are naturally high in beta-carotene. They also supply complex carbohydrates, which provide longer-lasting energy.
In fact, the Center for Science in the Public Interest ranks sweet potatoes #1 among all vegetables for overall nutritional value.
Mississippi farmers grow several sweet potato varieties, with a focus on flavor, quality, and consistency.
The most commonly grown variety in Mississippi is Beauregard.
Another popular orange-fleshed variety is Evangeline, known for its high sugar content and rich flavor.
Mississippi also grows select white-fleshed varieties, including:
There are hundreds of sweet potato varieties worldwide, but they generally fall into five main categories:
Each type offers a unique flavor, texture, and cooking experience.
Choose sweet potatoes that are:
Handle them carefully to prevent bruising.
Store raw sweet potatoes in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area between 50–60°F.
Do not refrigerate raw sweet potatoes. Cold temperatures can cause a hard center and reduce flavor. Sweet potatoes are most nutritious when cooked with the skin on.
Before cooking, wash and dry thoroughly and use a stainless steel knife when cutting.
Sweet potatoes were once thought of as a holiday-only food, but today they can be enjoyed all year long.
Thanks to temperature- and humidity-controlled storage, Mississippi sweet potatoes can be stored for up to thirteen months under proper conditions. Their versatility makes them perfect for every season and every meal.
Sweet potatoes are incredibly versatile and can be:
They work just as well in weeknight dinners as they do on holiday tables.
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