What is the difference between potatoes and sweet potatoes?

Potatoes and sweet potatoes are both originally from America, belong to the tuberous plants and look - more or less - similar. Botanically, they are not related to each other. The potato (Solanum tuberosum) is a nightshade plant, the sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), however, belongs to the bindweed family.

The potato tolerates the European, rather cool climate well. Because the plant contains the toxic alkaloid solanine, the leaves can not be used for food. The potato tubers are hard to digest in the raw state and are usually eaten cooked.

The sweet potato, on the other hand, thrives best in a warm climate. Today, it is grown in almost all warmer countries of the tropics and subtropics and thrives in the south of Europe. Depending on the variety, the tuber's shell is yellowish, light brown, red or purple and the interior is white, light yellow, orange or purple. The tubers of some varieties can also be used raw, sometimes the leaves are also used as food.

Typical of the sweet potato is its sweetish taste, reminiscent of pumpkin. This is based on their natural content of sugar (around 4 grams per 100 grams) and starch. The yellow and orange-sweet potatoes are extremely rich in vitamin A and beta-carotene. Sweet potatoes, once washed, can be cooked, baked, fried or roasted with or without its shell. The cooking time is about one third shorter than that for potatoes. In the US, baked sweet potatoes are part of the traditional menu on Thanksgiving.

Source: Verbraucherzentrale Südtirol