Can Sweetpotatoes Save the World?

NC State rescued the sweet potato industry in North Carolina and helped it grow into a global powerhouse. Now the university is leading an effort to breed sweet potatoes that could provide economic opportunities and better nutrition for people in several African countries.

Some foods are known as seasonal wonders, making an appearance only once or twice a year when families gather for holiday feasts. Cranberry sauce, pecan pie, egg nog. Sweet potatoes, typically with tiny marshmallows roasted on top, were once on that list. But sweet potatoes are on the rise. They have become increasingly recognized as a superfood packed with essential vitamins and nutrients, and are now enjoyed throughout the year—in upscale restaurants, as a healthier alternative to French fries, and in products as varied as vodka, sausage and muffi­ns.

by Bill Kruger

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