Quick Answer: Do Sweet Potatoes Go Bad? Sweet potatoes can go bad over time, so you need to know the signs to look for! These include a soft and darkened exterior when raw (uncooked), or mold and a stale smell after being cooked.
Sweet potatoes, sometimes called yams, are a well-known superfood with a distinct taste that is different from regular potatoes.
Whether you love sweet potatoes or are yet to try them, this quick but complete guide has everything you need to know about them, including how to store sweet potatoes properly.
With that said, let’s get right into it.
What Are Sweet Potatoes?
Sweet potatoes are starchy root vegetables native to tropical South America. They are widely available with a distinct taste and lots of nutritional value, earning their reputation as a superfood.
Sweet potatoes are often called yams (in North America), despite the fact that they are not the same!
Thanks to their taste and how easy it is to prepare them, sweet potatoes can be cooked and consumed in many different ways.
They have become just as popular as regular potatoes, often considered a healthier alternative due to their numerous nutritional benefits.
Sweet Potatoes Vs. Potatoes
Despite being called potatoes, sweet potatoes are not related. They are from a different family altogether, which is the reason for the differences in their appearance, shape, and flavor.
Sweet potatoes have an orange color, a longer shape, and sweeter taste, hence their name!
Another big difference between sweet potatoes and potatoes is the nutritional content.
While both vegetables have high fiber with roughly the same calorie content, sweet potatoes have more vitamins, antioxidants, and sugar. Potatoes, on the other hand, are higher in carbohydrates, starch, and protein.
What Do Sweet Potatoes Taste Like?
The taste of sweet potatoes is considered sweet and sugary, starchy, earthy, rich, and sometimes creamy.
This can also depend on the type of sweet potato, including where it comes from, how it is grown, how fresh it is, and how it is prepared.
As for the texture of sweet potatoes, they are firm and rough on the outside like regular potatoes, but with a softer, mushy center.
Depending on how they are cooked, sweet potatoes can be soft or crispy, the skin often taking on a caramelized appearance.
How Healthy Are Sweet Potatoes?
Sweet potatoes are widely considered to be a superfood, which makes them one of the healthiest foods you can eat!
Sweet potatoes are very high in vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin B6 as well as various minerals, including potassium, manganese, magnesium, and iron.
Sweet potatoes are also high in fiber and carbohydrates.
It is widely thought that sweet potatoes and their high antioxidant content can promote gut health, support the immune system, enhance brain functions, and help to reduce the risk of cancer and other diseases.
How To Cook Sweet Potatoes
There are many ways to cook and serve sweet potatoes, which has made them a popular addition to a range of dishes and diets.
Sweet potatoes can be roasted, fried, boiled, grilled, and more, as well as mashed or sliced into different shapes, adding to their versatility when it comes to texture.
When roasted, fried, or grilled, sweet potatoes can become crispy on the outside while remaining soft and mushy on the inside.
And much like potatoes, sweet potatoes can be served with a variety of foods as either a vegetable or a healthy source of carbohydrates.
Do Sweet Potatoes Go Bad?
Sweet potatoes can go bad, which makes it important to store them properly and consume them within a suitable time.
When raw and uncooked, the signs that a sweet potato has gone bad include a soft. mushy exterior, a darker brown or black color, plus unusual growths and odors.
Cooked sweet potatoes, however, have gone bad when mold becomes present or if they have a stale or sour smell.
If you happen to eat a sweet potato and it tastes more sour than sweet, this can be another sign that they have gone bad and should not be eaten!
How Long Does It Take Sweet Potatoes To Go Bad?
How long it takes sweet potatoes to go bad depends on whether they are raw or cooked and how they are stored.
For raw sweet potatoes stored in a cool, dark, and dry place (away from heat and moisture), it can take anything up to three to five weeks before they go bad.
For cooked sweet potatoes, these can last up to one week before going bad. To ensure they last this long, place the cooked sweet potatoes in a sealed container or bag and keep them refrigerated.
It’s also possible to freeze cooked sweet potatoes to make them last longer.
Through this blog I hope to help others learn the basics and more intricate details of cooking. I know from personal experience how frustrating it can be to cook a meal, only to realize you are missing one ingredient from your list. This is why I love to write articles chatting readers through some great substitutes that can be used in an emergency.
I hope you will find this blog useful, and that it will help you to develop your culinary skills, to help you cook up a storm!
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Wednesday 17th of August 2022
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