Sweetpotatoes Are a Superfood in More Ways than One
We’ve certainly heard sweetpotatoes proclaimed as a ‘superfood,’ along with being packed with vitamins and antioxidants, but did you also know they’re being used for a cause so much bigger than a sweet swap?
In early July, four scientists from the International Potato Center won the World Food Prize for their work in boosting a sweetpotato’s Vitamin A and other hnutrients in an effort to fight global hunger and poverty. Yes, that’s right – our little spud is a superhero all on its own!
Since white flesh sweetpotatoes are native to Africa, this campaign worked to introduce the orange flesh-colored sweetpotatoes to hunger-stricken villages in Mozambique and Uganda. So what’s the difference between the two taters? Orange sweetpotatoes are much richer in Vitamin A and iron which help prevent malnutrition, and even improve vision! More and more farmers in east Africa are now planting orange sweetpotato crops to fight hunger and generate a secure income with food security. Now how about that for a superfood?!
Learn more about the incredible work organizations like World Vision and the International Potato Center are doing with sweetpotatoes overseas here.
Photo Credit: World Vision