Generality
There American potato or batata It is NOT properly a tuber (like the common potato), but a tuberous (or tuberized) root. In addition to Italy, where we also know it as a sweet potato, in many other countries the batata is mistakenly considered a variety of potato (not surprisingly, in English it is also known as sweet potato).
The American potato is commonly called sweet potato thanks to the "high content of simple carbohydrates that give it the typically sweetened flavor. From a nutritional point of view, it mainly provides carbohydrates (mainly complex), has an" excellent amount of fiber and "amazes" for the "high concentration of retinol equivalents (vit. A), slightly lower than that of carrots.
The American potato belongs to the Convolvulaceae family, Genus Hypomea, Species batatas; the binomial nomenclature of the American potato is Ipomoea batatas, hence the vulgar name "batata".
There are about 50 kinds of plants with tuberous roots similar to the American potato and more than 1,000 different species, but the only one significantly exploited for agriculture intended for human consumption is the "Ipomea batatas. Some edible species are exploited exclusively on a "local" level, but there are many others poisonous to humans.
It is interesting to note that the botanical order of the American potato (Solanales) is the same as that of tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, common potatoes, etc., but the family is completely different and common to ornamental - floral plants such as: Morning Glory (translation from English Morning Glories).
Description
The plant is herbaceous and perennial; it has heart-shaped lobed or palmate leaves and the flowers are alternate, of medium size and with the petals partially fused together. The tuberous root, that is the edible part, is large, slightly tapered, with a smooth skin and a color that varies between yellow, orange, red, brown, purple and beige. The pulp of the American potato fades between beige, white, red, pink, purple, yellow, orange and purple. The white or yellow ones (the most common in Italy) are less sweet and succulent than the others.
Distribution and cultivation
The oldest finds showing the consumption of American potatoes (probably after harvesting) have been identified in Peru and date back to 8,000 BC. On the contrary, it seems that the first crops took place in Central and South America only in 3,000 BC. "It is conceivable that the area of origin of the American potato lies between the Yucatan peninsula (Mexico) and the mouth of the Orinoco River (Venezuela).
Today, thanks to import-export, the American potato is cultivated in all temperate zones of the planet, wherever there is a sufficient quantity of water for development and maturation. In all likelihood, the first NON-native areas that hosted it were North America, Polynesia, Japan and later all of continental Asia.
Based on FAO statistics (Food and Agriculture Organization), the production of American potatoes in 2004 was 127 million tons, most of which in China (105 million tons) where it is also used for livestock feed.
Nutritional values (per 100 g of edible portion)
The American potato does NOT tolerate harsh or arid climates and requires average temperatures of 24 ° C, lots of sun and warm nights. Furthermore, irrigation must not cause stagnation to avoid tuber rot. The plant's favorite soil is: draining, light and medium-textured with a pH of 4.5-7; massive fertilization is not necessary. The propagation of the American potato occurs by stem or cuttings or adventitious roots; the seeds are used only for reproduction between plants. Cultivation times are approximately 2-9 months, between early and late varieties. Usually, the use of pesticides and the average yield is about 13.2 tons per hectare.
The American potato played an essential role in the North American diet (especially in the south-east) until the mid-twentieth century AD, when, with the economic recovery, its consumption was greatly reduced. In these areas, the American potato it was consumed both fresh and dehydrated (preserved).
Nutritional characteristics
The American potato is a food belonging to the VI food group. It mainly contains complex carbohydrates but the portion of simple sugars is still relevant; the glycemic index of the American potato is quite high and this makes it a poorly suited food for the diabetic and obese. The proteins are not relevant and even less the fats. of the sweet potato a product suitable for the diet of those suffering from constipation. As regards the mineral salts, the American potato is rich in potassium and manganese; as regards the vitamins, there is a good supply of pyridoxine (vit. B6 ) and an extraordinary content of vitamin A (RAE).
According to the estimates of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the nutritional value of the American potato is 100 points higher than that of the common potato. Compared to the latter, the sweet potato has a much higher content of retinol equivalents, in particular of β-carotene. A 2012 study carried out in Uganda, involving around 10,000 families, showed that: "ONLY 10% of individuals who eat American potatoes dark orange color suffer from vitamin deficiencies of retinol equivalent, while as many as 50% of subjects who prefer American potatoes beige or straw yellow color shows a significant hypovitaminosis"; this is justified by the greater contribution of β-carotene dark orange American potatoes compared to lighter ones.
Sweet potatoes cake
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Bibliography:
- Reference site - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_potato
- Coghlan, Andy (17 August 2012) Nutrient-boosted foods protect against blindness New Scientist, Health, Retrieved 20 August 2012.
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