History
Sweet potato (Impomoe batatas) is a climbing plant native to Tropical America. The date of introduction to the Caribbean is unknown. But we know that the Arawaks or Tainos consumed and nicknamed the batata.
Presumably sweet potato would have arrived in the luggage of Arawak or during colonization by navigators in the zone. After the conquest of America, it spread around the world, especially with the help of Spanish and Portuguese explorers.
Varieties
The sweet potato is a perennial with creeping stems that can reach several meters long. It produces edible tubers to form more or less elongated. There are many varieties of sweet potatoes. Depending on the variety, the color of the skin is tan, brown, yellow, orange, red or violet. The tuber flesh also varies: white, beige, yellow, orange, red, pink and purple. Almost all combinations of skin and flesh can meet.
It is a highly flexible plant. It grows in a wide range of agricultural conditions and adapts well to both heat and drought, many diseases and pests as well as poor and flooded soils. It can be grown at altitudes up to 2,500 between latitudes 40°N and 32°S. The ideal temperatures are between 71 and 91°F.
Between 120 and 210 days to complete a cycle. During this same cycle, its water needs are estimated at 600mm.
Health benefits
Rich in complex carbohydrates for athletes as well as pasta and bananas, it is ideal for sports nutrition.
It is recommended when dieting especially in the "Amazonian diet" of Dr. Euler Ribeiro.
Uses
The sweet potato is consumed mainly cooked but it can be used in casseroles, mashed potatoes, cakes, jams, etc...
Many recipes for sweet potato exist in Martinique where it is considered a "légume pays". (Légumes pays in Martinique is a group of tubers (dasheen, yams, sweet potatoes) and plantain banana, green plantains and breadfruit).
