Pick up know-how for tackling diseases, pests and weeds.
Farm bill, farm marketing, agribusiness webinars, & farm policy.
Find tactics for healthy livestock and sound forages.
Scheduling and methods of irrigation.
Explore our Extension locations around the state.
Commercial row crop production in Arkansas.
Agriculture weed management resources.
Use virtual and real tools to improve critical calculations for farms and ranches.
Learn to ID forages and more.
Explore our research locations around the state.
Get the latest research results from our county agents.
Our programs include aquaculture, diagnostics, and energy conservation.
Keep our food, fiber and fuel supplies safe from disaster.
Private, Commercial & Non-commercial training and education.
Specialty crops including turfgrass, vegetables, fruits, and ornamentals.
Find educational resources and get youth engaged in agriculture.
Gaining garden smarts and sharing skills.
Timely tips for the Arkansas home gardener.
Creating beauty in and around the home.
Maintenance calendar, and best practices.
Coaxing the best produce from asparagus to zucchini.
What’s wrong with my plants? The clinic can help.
Featured trees, vines, shrubs and flowers.
Ask our experts plant, animal, or insect questions.
Enjoying the sweet fruits of your labor.
Herbs, native plants, & reference desk QA.
Growing together from youth to maturity.
Crapemyrtles, hydrangeas, hort glossary, and weed ID databases.
Get beekeeping, honey production, and class information.
Grow a pollinator-friendly garden.
Schedule these timely events on your gardening calendar.
Equipping individuals to lead organizations, communities, and regions.
Guiding communities and regions toward vibrant and sustainable futures.
Guiding entrepreneurs from concept to profit.
Position your business to compete for government contracts.
Find trends, opportunities and impacts.
Providing unbiased information to enable educated votes on critical issues.
Increase your knowledge of public issues & get involved.
Research-based connection to government and policy issues.
Support Arkansas local food initiatives.
Read about our efforts.
Preparing for and recovering from disasters.
Licensing for forestry and wildlife professionals.
Preserving water quality and quantity.
Cleaner air for healthier living.
Firewood & bioenergy resources.
Managing a complex forest ecosystem.
Read about nature across Arkansas and the U.S.
Learn to manage wildlife on your land.
Soil quality and its use here in Arkansas.
Learn to ID unwanted plant and animal visitors.
Timely updates from our specialists.
Eating right and staying healthy.
Ensuring safe meals.
Take charge of your well-being.
Cooking with Arkansas foods.
Making the most of your money.
Making sound choices for families and ourselves.
Nurturing our future.
Get tips for food, fitness, finance, and more!
Understanding aging and its effects.
Giving back to the community.
Managing safely when disaster strikes.
Listen to our latest episode!
TEXARKANA, Ark. –
Sweet Potatoes are filling stores, farmers markets and roadside stands. They are not the prettiest vegetable, but they are popular, especially in the fall. Maybe it is because they are economical, delicious, nutritious and easy to prepare.
Both Vitamin A and C are found in sweet potatoes. Vitamin C is needed by the body for healthy gums and body tissues while Vitamin A is needed for growth, normal vision and healthy condition of skin.
One cup of cooked sweet potato provides 30mg of beta carotene (Vitamin A). They have four times the USRDA for beta carotene when eaten with the skin on.
They also are a great source of vitamin E and are virtually fat free. Just 2/3 of a cup of sweet potatoes provides 100 percent of the USRDA for Vitamin E without the unwanted fat many times associated with this vitamin.
Sweet potatoes also supply small amounts of the B vitamins and other minerals, including potassium and iron. They are also a good source of dietary fiber which helps promote a healthy digestive tract.
A medium-sized sweet potato contains just 118 calories, which is not too many, but enough to supply the body with valuable food energy. Plus they are virtually fat free, cholesterol free and very low in sodium.
When selecting sweet potatoes, choose those that are firm, smooth, reasonably clean and free from blemishes. Healed scars do not injure the flesh of the sweet potato, but moisture or decay spots indicate flesh damage and off-flavors.
Some sweet potatoes have copper-colored skins, others have light tan skins and some have rosy-red skins. All have yellow to deep orange flesh. After cooking, copper and red skinned varieties are usually softer than the lighter colored sweet potatoes.
Sweet potatoes should be stored in a cool, dry place and used within a few days. Do not store sweet potatoes in the refrigerator. It can slow sprouting but causes the starch to convert to sugar.
The rich flavor of sweet potatoes makes them ideal to bake without added ingredients. When baking, do not wrap in foil. Scrub well, poke a fork into them a time or two to allow steam to escape and, if desired, lightly oil the surface. Bake at 450 degrees for 45 minutes or until fork tender.
When boiling sweet potatoes, be sure to cook them in their jackets. This will prevent some of the sweetness from being dissolved in the water. The skin will be easy to remove and will take less of the potato with it when peeled. Since Vitamin C is easily destroyed by air, cook sweet potatoes quickly and serve hot to prevent nutrient loss.
If you find a good buy on sweet potatoes, purchase extra and freeze for later use. For more information, click here for your free copy of Arkansas' Fresh Sweet Potatoes, and a copy of the handout with recipes - Sweet Potatoes: Economical & Nutritious - contact the Miller County Extension Office, 870-779-3609 or visit us in room 215 at the Miller County Courthouse. We're online at chadley@uada.edu, on Facebook at UAEXMillerCountyFCS/CarlaHaleyHadley, on Twitter @MillerCountyFCS or on the web at uaex.uada.edu/Miller.
This is my favorite sweet potato recipe that I serve every Thanksgiving. It is almost like a dessert instead of a vegetable.
2 cups sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/3 cup melted margarine
1 cup milk
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup cornflakes, crushed
Combine first 7 ingredients; mix together thoroughly. Pour into a 2-quart casserole which has been coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake 30 minutes at 400 degrees. While this is baking, combine remaining four ingredients in small bowl and mix thoroughly. Spread over casserole and bake 10 minutes longer, or until mixture is firm.
By Carla Haley-Hadley County Extension Agent - FCSThe Cooperative Extension ServiceU of A System Division of Agriculture
Media Contact: Carla Haley-Hadley County Extension Agent - FCSU of A Division of AgricultureCooperative Extension Service400 Laurel Street, Suite 215 Texarkana AR 71854 (870) 779-3609 chadley@uada.edu
Related Links
The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact your County Extension office (or other appropriate office) as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay. The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.