Author Topic: The leaves of Sweet Potatoes taste good when raw or cooked... IMO  (Read 1548 times)

palmcity

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 826
    • Martin County, Fl zone10a
    • View Profile
No need to show if this topic has been mentioned before but I did not see it in a quick search but I think it would be a significant green leafy food addition to our diet.

Sweet potato leaves were picked by my wife from some sweet potato bulbs lightly covered with soil and watered for 2 weeks and there are a lot of leaves to eat.

I was surprised that they actually have a sweetness IMO when even eaten raw. Much better eaten raw than things like moringa or dollar weed IMO... Give them a try for your veggies as very easy to grow almost anywhere...

Now my wife also uses moringa leaves in many toppings to various dinners and I consider it more acrid and vinegar tasting & to be complemented with vinegar for a nice tartness on fish etc.

I am looking forward to the new sweet additional taste when she cooks.

Galatians522

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1824
    • Florida 9b
    • View Profile
Re: The leaves of Sweet Potatoes taste good when raw or cooked... IMO
« Reply #1 on: March 24, 2021, 10:51:29 PM »
I agree, and am growing some just for that purpose. Unfortunately, my first planting was decimated by rabbits (who love sweet potato vines). We eat the tender growth tips in stir fry and they are excellent. My wife does not like slimey textures, so a lot of tropical greens turn her off. She really liked sweet potato greens, though. They also make good feed for livestock because they are high in protein (which is probably why the rabbits like them).

palmcity

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 826
    • Martin County, Fl zone10a
    • View Profile
Re: The leaves of Sweet Potatoes taste good when raw or cooked... IMO
« Reply #2 on: March 24, 2021, 11:46:59 PM »

The rabbits haven't gotten hers yet. Either black cow or potting soil for growth and to hold moisture. We will probably move the box on a stainless steel table outside in partial shade to allow a few of the vines growth area while still being above the rabbits at night.

The potting soil and or black cow will lower your chance of nematodes, virus, and bacteria, infection vs. local soil in South Florida as we do not have the cold winter that most of the U.S. has to help decrease the pathogens.
« Last Edit: March 30, 2021, 10:40:38 AM by palmcity »

palmcity

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 826
    • Martin County, Fl zone10a
    • View Profile
Re: The leaves of Sweet Potatoes taste good when raw or cooked... IMO
« Reply #3 on: March 25, 2021, 09:25:51 AM »



Sweet potato vines growing in old recycle bin placed on top of old table.

My wife and I were looking up information on nutrition of the sweet potato leaves vs. the sweet potato bulb vs. spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. and it seems to have as much or more nutrition and is sooo easier and quicker to grow than other veggies.

So the question goes to why is it not in the local supermarkets? I just find spinach, turnip greens, lettuce, etc. at my location.

My guess is that it is just too easy to grow and anyone with just a inkling of knowledge would switch from buying their greens at the supermarket to just growing their own in a small container? Just a little food for thought and perhaps one should at least give this a try to supplement their greens that they eat...

Walt

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 333
    • USA, Kansas, Kanopolis, zone 6
    • View Profile
Re: The leaves of Sweet Potatoes taste good when raw or cooked... IMO
« Reply #4 on: March 25, 2021, 11:37:09 AM »
Back in the mid 1970s when I was in grad school, I came across a book in the KSU library with the title Sweet Potatoes.  It was the proceeding of a conference of sweet potato breeders.  Included were a few chapters on sweet potato leaves.  One was on nutrition of sweet potatoes.  They are better for us than most greens.  In some cultures their leaves are a significant part of the diet.  Some varieties are grown just for the leaves.  I tried eating some and i love them.  They are good in salads and stir fries.

Galatians522

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1824
    • Florida 9b
    • View Profile
Re: The leaves of Sweet Potatoes taste good when raw or cooked... IMO
« Reply #5 on: March 25, 2021, 07:01:19 PM »
They wilt quickly. I think that is why they are not sold much in the grocery store. Water spinach (Ipomea Aquatica) is a sweet potato relative grown in SE asia for its leaves and stems. It is the most common vegetable in some places from what I understand. However, it is illiegal to grow in Florida because it is an aquatic invasive. One advantage it has over sweet potato greens is a lower oxilate content. It would be neat to see if there were any hybrids between the two.

JoshuaTilaranCR

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 156
    • Los Angeles, Tilaran, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
    • View Profile
Re: The leaves of Sweet Potatoes taste good when raw or cooked... IMO
« Reply #6 on: March 27, 2021, 06:27:14 PM »
Someone mentioned they taste like marshmallows, what do the people that have eaten it think?

RodneyS

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 756
  • Cerritos, CA (Zone 11a)
    • View Profile
Re: The leaves of Sweet Potatoes taste good when raw or cooked... IMO
« Reply #7 on: March 27, 2021, 11:22:07 PM »
No need to show if this topic has been mentioned before but I did not see it in a quick search but I think it would be a significant green leafy food addition to our diet.

Sweet potato leaves were picked by my wife from some sweet potato bulbs lightly covered with soil and watered for 2 weeks and there are a lot of leaves to eat.

I was surprised that they actually have a sweetness IMO when even eaten raw. Much better eaten raw than things like moringa or dollar weed IMO... Give them a try for your veggies as very easy to grow almost anywhere...

Now my wife also uses moringa leaves in many toppings to various dinners and I consider it more acrid and vinegar tasting & to be complemented with vinegar for a nice tartness on fish etc.

I am looking forward to the new sweet additional taste when she cooks.

I dry moringa leaves, then crush into powder.  It's good to store, and it takes away the horseradish bite.  Are yam leaves also good to eat?

Galatians522

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1824
    • Florida 9b
    • View Profile
Re: The leaves of Sweet Potatoes taste good when raw or cooked... IMO
« Reply #8 on: March 28, 2021, 11:40:52 AM »
Someone mentioned they taste like marshmallows, what do the people that have eaten it think?

They do not taste like marshmallows to me.

RollingInTheWeeds

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 98
    • USA, CA., South Bay area of Los Angeles, USDA 10b, Sunset 24
    • View Profile
Re: The leaves of Sweet Potatoes taste good when raw or cooked... IMO
« Reply #9 on: March 29, 2021, 05:01:40 PM »
I used to have a Filipino neighbor who grew sweet potato to eat the leaves, but I think he had a particular variety he had selected for the purpose.  The vine and leaves were dark purple.  He mentioned once that just sticking a sweet potato from the store into the ground wasn't a good idea because of soil pathogens they might carry (he didn't tell me the specifics, and I wasn't interested enough at the time to ask for more information).  But it makes me wonder now if I could find what he grew at a Filipino grocery.

palmcity

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 826
    • Martin County, Fl zone10a
    • View Profile
Re: The leaves of Sweet Potatoes taste good when raw or cooked... IMO
« Reply #10 on: April 08, 2021, 11:32:54 PM »
Someone mentioned they taste like marshmallows, what do the people that have eaten it think?
Not at all like marshmallows but I wish they did... lol...

More like greens a little sweet on some leaves but not on others and not sure why.

He mentioned once that just sticking a sweet potato from the store into the ground wasn't a good idea because of soil pathogens they might carry (he didn't tell me the specifics, and I wasn't interested enough at the time to ask for more information).  But it makes me wonder now if I could find what he grew at a Filipino grocery.
It makes me wonder if he knew what he was talking about... lol
I see no reason why you could not grow your own vines from sweet potato store purchased and put into the ground....

A few exceptions would exist like putting your sweet potato bulbs into human sewage would be a no  no in my opinion as heavy metals and virus might be eaten.... But I don't think you would do that and hope your friend did not in the Philippeans or locally...   Be Clean, be Safe....
https://plantvillage.psu.edu/topics/sweet-potato/infos

I am almost certain that all vines do not taste the same but have not tried enough types of Sweet Potatoes to comment except that I would have no problem trying other choices if available... till then store bought is fine for me if in regular clean soil. I prefer above ground pots etc. due to my nematode problems in S. Fl.
 

Galatians522

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1824
    • Florida 9b
    • View Profile
Re: The leaves of Sweet Potatoes taste good when raw or cooked... IMO
« Reply #11 on: April 09, 2021, 09:47:55 PM »
 I read a report once that said certain nematodes can be spread by planting infected sweet potato tubers. One solution is to sprout potato and then root cuttings of the vines. Apparently this lessens the chances of transfering nematodes.