Sweet potato

The sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the bindweed or morning glory family, Convolvulaceae. Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting tuberous roots are a root vegetable. The sweet potato is only distantly related to the potato (Solanum tuberosum), which is a starchy tuberous crop from the Solanaceae or nightshade family. The sweet potato was the ninth most important food crop in the world in 2018, and the third most important in Africa. The genus Ipomoea that includes sweet potato contains about 500-600 species, and Ipomoea batatas is one of only a few that produce edible tubers. In Hebrew, sweet potato is called בַּטָּטָה (batata). In Spanish, it is known as camote or batata, in French as patate douce, and in German as Süßkartoffel. Sweet potatoes are a key crop in tropical and subtropical regions, and they are a significant food source in many parts of the world, particularly in developing countries. They are rich in carbohydrates, dietary fiber, beta-carotene (in orange-fleshed varieties), vitamin C, and various minerals.