History of the Sweet Potato Vine
The sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas) is a tropical vine in the morning glory family. Its orange roots provide a nutritious source of food. Sweet potatoes are high in vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron, thiamine and fiber. Sweet potatoes are also an efficient crop, producing more food per acre than any other vegetable, according to the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, Illinois. Does this Spark an idea?
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Sweet Potato Origins
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The Incans farmed sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes originated in the tropical forests of South America. The oldest remains of a sweet potato were discovered in Peru's Chilca Canyon. These remnants were found to be 8,000 to 10,000 years old. The Incans cultivated the sweet potato and named it batata, which is the origin of the word potato. Sweet potato leaves were used in folk medicine to treat mouth and throat tumors.
Sweet Potatos in Polynesia
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Sweet potatoes were brought to Polynesia from South America and subsequently to Asia and Africa. Some authors, such as Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat in her book "A History of Food," have interpreted the appearance of the sweet potato in Polynesia as evidence of early trans-Pacific trade. The Polynesian word for sweet potato, "kumara", shows linguistic similarities to "batata."
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Sweet Potatoes in Europe
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The sweet potato was first introduced to Europe by Christopher Columbus, who presented one to Queen Isabella of Spain. Sweet potatoes became popularly accepted as a food source in England long before white potatoes. In the Elizabethan era, their sweet taste was appreciated, as sugar was rare and expensive. Sweet potatoes were favored by Empress Josephine and Louis XV of France.
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