You may remember a column I wrote a few weeks ago about our NC Cooperative
Extension office here in Brunswick County passing out sweetpotatoes along with candy for trick or treat. This was our way of sharing information about one of North Carolina’s biggest crops, supporting local farmers and also teaching a little sweetpotato nutrition.

We’ve created a lot of talk, excitement and laughs with our Halloween sweetpotato distribution. One of these included a discussion about what to call them. Is sweetpotato one word or two?

Spellcheck keeps telling me it’s two words. But the folks at the North Carolina
Sweetpotato Commission say the correct spelling is one word: sweetpotato.

According to the NC Sweetpotato Commission’s website (ncsweetpotatoes.com) they officially adopted the one-word spelling back in 1989. They say sweetpotato should be a noun.

When you say sweet potato (two words) you are using the word sweet as an adjective to describe the potato. But, sweetpotatoes are different than other potatoes that use a descriptive adjective such as white, red or russet to describe them.

They want sweetpotato to be the name of the vegetable. They want sweet to be part of the name and not a descriptor. You can go to their website and sign petition to say that you’re going help tell the story about sweetpotatoes and begin spelling it that way. (Note: I had to add it to my computer dictionary to so spellcheck knows the CORRECT way to spell it.)

Here’s a trivia question. Are sweetpoatoes and yams the same thing? They are
frequently confused with each other. Technically what we find in grocery stores here in the United States called yams are really sweetpoatoes. Most people think the long, red-skinned sweetpotato are yams, but they really are just one of many varieties of
sweetpoatoes.

The answer this answer can be backed up by botany. The sweetpotato is a member of the morning glory family and is botanically classified in the genus Ipomoea batata. While yams are relatives of lilies. They are the starchy edible root of the Dioscorea
batatas genus. Yams are usually imported to the U.S. since they thrive in climates more tropical than we experience. True yams are shaped like logs and have a thick skin that can be hairy. White yams are the most common but there are also purple varieties. These yams are starchier and more white potato-like and not very sweet. The website has photos and details if you really want to know more.

The United States Department of Agriculture requires labeling of produce to help sort
this out. Products in the grocery store that are labeled “yams” but are really
sweetpotatoes must be labeled as such.

All these words. It gets confusing. No matter what you call them, sweetpotatoes are
good for you and good eating.

Sweetpotatoes are chock full of nutrients. One medium sweetpotato provides about 100 calories. This one sweetpotato contains over 100% of the recommended daily amount of vitamin A. It also contains 4 grams of fiber along with vitamin C as well as beta-carotene, potassium and antioxidants.

Looking to do something different with sweetpotatoes? The NC Sweetpotato Commission’s website has lots of recipes for using these orange wonders. Here’s one I’ve adapted slightly.

Sweetpotato Chicken and Rice Soup

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil 
• 8-ounces boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 onion. chopped
• 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 large sweetpotato
• 1/3 cup brown rice

Wash hands with soap and water. Scrub the sweetpotatoes with a vegetable brush
under running water, peel and cut into cubes. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over
medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken pieces.
Remove the chicken from the pot and add the celery, carrots, and onions. Cook until
softened, about 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the fresh thyme and cook for 2 more minutes, followed by the garlic. Cook for 1 more minute. Add the chicken broth, sweetpotatoes, rice and cooked chicken into the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until the sweetpotatoes are tender and rice is cooked. Makes 6 servings.

I’m going to support our farmers here in NC by trying to remember use the one-word
noun when referring to sweetpotatoes. How about you?

Resources

• Homegrown Video about Sweetpotato Research here in NC
• Sweetpotato Chicken & Rice Soup
• Sweetpotato is ONE Word- Sign the Petition
• NC Sweetpotato Website

Syracuse is a Family and Consumer Science team member and can be reached at N.C. Cooperative Extension, Brunswick County Center 910-253-2610 or by email at
clsyracu@ncsu.edu