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There are a variety of ways you can prepare sweet potatoes. You can make sweet potato pie, or sweet potato butter. Sweet potatoes can be fried or you can make sweet potato chips. They also may be steamed or boiled. They really are delicious. A baked sweet potato with butter is great. Sweet potatoes are healthy for you and contain many vitamins and minerals. They contain beta carotene, zinc, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron calcium, folate, niacin, riboflavin, thiamine, vitamin A and C, and protein. China is the leader in production of sweet potatoes. They provide the world with 80% of the sweet potatoes produced. Sweet potatoes are an important part of diet in America. Compared to other vegetables the sweet potato ranks the highest in nutritional values. Sweet potatoes are a beneficial food for diabetics. Studies have revealed that they help to stabilize blood sugar levels and they also lower insulin resistance. Sometimes the sweet potato can be confused with the yam, but it is not related to the yam family. Sweet potatoes grow in tropical and warm regions. Sweet potatoes have a long history of cultivation here in Louisiana. The sweet potato was a favorite food of the French and Spanish settlers. In Mississippi the National Sweet Potato Festival is held. In Kentucky the Tater Day Festival is held with the celebration of sweet potatoes. In Tennessee the sweet potato is celebrated at the Tater Town Special. Sweet potatoes are also rich in dietary fiber and contain complex carbohydrates. Sweet potatoes are an important tradition in southern cooking. Don’t forget to add sweet potatoes to your menu for Thanksgiving.