National Sweet Potato Month is celebrated in February. What better way to commemorate the occasion than with a feast of hearty, delectable, and nutritious sweet potatoes? They may be used in a variety of recipes, and their natural richness means that they don’t require any additional spices to taste divine. Still, have doubts? This month is the perfect time to set the record straight.
History of National Sweet Potato Month
If you only had one food option for the rest of your life, sweet potatoes may not come to mind as a first choice, but they take a long time to get weary of, compared to other dishes.
The sweet potato has a fascinating history, as it was grown before the more well-known white Irish potato. Cultivation and consumption date back to 750 B.C. in Peru. Christopher Columbus brought this new food back to Europe, where it was given the name ‘sweet potato’ due to its sweet flavor. This vegetable is now a classic for Thanksgiving dinners, sometimes candied or topped with marshmallows.
Sweet potatoes are well-known for their high fiber and carbohydrate content. They are a complex carbohydrate with 0.11 ounces of fiber that keeps you fuller for longer. These fibers induce less blood glucose increases than refined carbohydrates because they are both soluble and insoluble.
Insoluble fiber consumption aids in the prevention of diabetes and improves gut health. The potassium content in sweet potato aids in blood pressure stabilization, beta carotene aids in eyesight clarity, and manganese aids in growth, development, and metabolic function.
Including more sweet potatoes in your diet may be beneficial, especially if you have trouble controlling your sugar levels, lack fiber, or have blurry eyesight. So, even if you’re baking, pounding, or folding, keep these tips in mind. Sweet Potato Awareness Month won’t be hard for you to celebrate, and you’ll love every minute of it. Your body will appreciate it as well.
National Sweet Potato Month timeline
The consumption and cultivation of sweet potatoes begin to occur in Peru.
Members of Christopher Columbus’ expedition become the first Europeans to eat sweet potatoes.
After its introduction, sweet potatoes become a delicacy and subsequently become expensive.
Sweet potatoes arrive in China’s Fujian province from Luzon, as a way of reducing the effects of a significant crop failure.
National Sweet Potato Month FAQs
Where should you store sweet potatoes?
Keep your sweet potatoes out of the fridge to preserve their sweetness. Instead, put them with your baking potatoes in the pantry. Keep them in a cool, dry spot, such as the basement, to prolong their shelf — life to about a month.
What distinguishes a sweet potato from a yam?
Sweet potatoes have tapered ends, thin, smooth skin, and flesh that varies in color from beige to burnished orange or even purple. Yams are cylindrical, with rough, nearly hairy skin, and normally white inner flesh (although there is a purple variant).
Sweet potato v.s. potato: which is better for you?
Although sweet potatoes are frequently regarded as being better than white potatoes, both forms can be quite healthy. While ordinary and sweet potatoes have similar caloric, protein, and carbohydrate contents, white potatoes have more potassium, while sweet potatoes have a high vitamin A concentration.
National Sweet Potato Month Activities
Eat eat eat
Part of the fun of this day, like other food-related festivities, is that we can cook a sweet potato however we choose. The sweet potato is healthy and delicious whether it is cooked, steamed, fried, or combined with other wonderful recipes.
Add sweet potatoes to your recipes
In salads, desserts, and stews, sweet potatoes can be served as a side dish or an appetizer. When prepared into a casserole, they can be served as a side dish or as the main meal.
Try new recipes
There are countless ways to enjoy the delicious taste of a sweet potato. Look up new recipes online and give them a go; you can even host a cook-off between your friends.
5 Facts About Sweet Potatoes That Will Blow Your Mind
Rubber stamped
The sweet potato is the official vegetable in North Carolina.
Asian dominance
About 90% of the world’s sweet potato crop is produced in Asia.
Rainbow veggie
Sweet potatoes can be in several colors such as white, orange, purple, red, and yellow.
Doppelganger?
Despite their similarities and people constantly mislabelling them, yams and sweet potatoes are unrelated.
Morning glory
Sweet potatoes are flowers; they belong to the morning glory family.
Why We Love National Sweet Potato Month
Versatile food
One of the best things about sweet potatoes is that there are so many delicious culinary applications. Whether it’s the main course or the side dish, you will be purring with delight.
Encourage consumption
This observance aims to create awareness and help people better recognize sweet potatoes as a viable food option. By sharing its benefits, more people will be open to adding it to their daily meals.
Healthy meals
Sweet potatoes are sometimes referred to as a superfood because of their numerous health advantages. Vitamins C and A are abundant in them. Both nutrients are necessary for immune system support as well as the maintenance of healthy skin, eyes, and organs.
National Sweet Potato Month dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | February 1 | Sunday |
| 2027 | February 1 | Monday |
| 2028 | February 1 | Tuesday |
| 2029 | February 1 | Thursday |
| 2030 | February 1 | Friday |
