SWEET POTATOES ARE SUPERB

Do you eat sweet potatoes only at Thanksgiving? Enjoy them year-round! Sweet potatoes are among the most nutritious foods in the vegetable kingdom, providing almost as much beta-carotene as carrots. An excellent source of potassium, and vitamin C, they also provide a respectable amount of other vitamins and minerals including calcium, folic acid and other B vitamins, for about 120 calories.

Sweet potatoes possess an intense natural sweetness that increases during storage and cooking.

Not related to the white potato, the sweet potato is a member of the morning glory family. A native American plant, it was the main source of nourishment for early homesteaders and for soldiers during the Revolutionary War. One colonial physician called them the "vegetable indispensable."

Yams or sweet potatoes? Yams are large, starchy roots grown in Africa and Asia, and rarely available in American supermarkets. The term is commonly used when referring to sweet potatoes.

Many varieties of sweet potato are grown, but the U. S. Department of Agriculture designates sweet potatoes as either dry flesh or moist flesh, referring to how they feel in the mouth, not the actual moisture content.

The dry variety has a thin, light-colored skin and pale yellow flesh, resembling a baking potato in texture. These can be used in just about any recipe that normally calls for white potatoes.

The moist variety is plumper and sweeter, with a thicker, darker skin and bright orange flesh. Yam is a trade name that refers to the moist flesh type, contributing to the confusion about sweet potatoes and yams. These mash easily. They combine well with apple juice, orange peel and juice, or pineapple. Try seasoning with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.

Selection
Choose firm, dark, smooth sweet potatoes without wrinkles, bruises, sprouts, or decay. A small spot can cause the whole potato to take on an unpleasant flavor.

Storage
Store potatoes in a dry, cool (55-60 degrees) place as they tend to spoil rapidly. Use within a week if held at room temperature. Refrigeration speeds deterioration.

Preparation
Scrub potatoes under cold running water before cooking. When possible, cook with the skin intact to retain nutrients and natural sugar. The skin is easy to remove after cooking, but it is edible and provides additional dietary fiber

Microwave for quick eating
Pierce the scrubbed potato several times with a fork, place it on a paper towel, and microwave five to nine minutes for two potatoes. Let stand three minutes after cooking.

Freeze leftovers
Cooked sliced or mashed sweet potatoes can be frozen. Add a little lemon juice to keep them from darkening and pack them into a freezer container.

Canned and frozen also available at the market
Canned sweet potatoes are usually packed in a sweet syrup-look for light syrup, although some packers use water. Canned sweet potatoes are substantially lower in beta-carotene and C and B vitamins than fresh. Frozen baked sweet potatoes are also available.