Sweet potato's status today is beyond people's imagination

 
 

Sweet potato used to be the major food of agricultural societies. Now it is the second largest crop in Taiwan with a cultivation area only next to that of rice. In 1940’s, the poor commons were unable to eat the delicious rice because goods of good shortage, poor livelihood, expensive price of rice. As such, the only food for the commons was sweet potato.

Sweet potato was the only major food that people lived on during those short-of-commodity years.

Sweet potato was the only major food that people lived on during those short-of-commodity years.

  
 
 
Sweet potato has been reaffirmed in the modern times where food nutrition is highly valued.

Sweet potato has been reaffirmed in the modern times where food nutrition is highly valued.
The elderly signed with sentimental feelings when being asked about the harsh time of eating sweet potato. It aroused their unforgettable memories. For these people, sweet potato was one of the important objects that had accompanied them through those harsh days when they grew up. No wonder they showed strong feelings when talking about sweet potato. Sweet potato was not properly appreciated in the past. Nowadays, due to its high nutrition value, sweet potato is reaffirmed in this modern society that places emphasis on food nutrition and therefore the demand for it is increasingly growing.
  
 
 

In the past, sweet potato was a cheap crop. Now it becomes high-priced food. Its price is even as high as rice’s. It is said that “Sweet potato was the major food for the poor in the past, and is the dessert for the rich now”. This vividly describes its changing status.

Sweet potato has turned into a high-priced food. now.

Sweet potato has turned into a high-priced food. now.

  
 
 

Sweet potato congee is so delicious that people tend to eat and eat repeatedly.

Sweet potato congee is so delicious that people tend to eat and eat repeatedly.
Sweet potato is humidity-tolerable and insect-resistant. It can be grown up everywhere, even in the infertile soil. In the past, every family planted sweet potato in a large area and cooked it with rice to feed the whole family. Now, rice becomes cheap but sweet potato becomes expansive dessert. Sometimes people would think twice before paying such high price to eat a couple of sweet potatoes.
  
 
 

Sweet potato leaf also becomes valuable now. Asia Research & Development Center made efforts in improving its previous defects and have succeeded in turning its color from dark green to yellowish green, reducing its fiber contents, making its taste lighter, and ensuring its color would not turn black after cooking. The species of sweet potato leaf of the past was inferior. It easily withered within a few hours after heavesting. Most of sweet potato leaves then were used as pig’s feedstuff.

Asia Research & Development Center has succeeded in improving sweet potato leaf's defects used as a kind of vegetable

Asia Research & Development Center has succeeded in improving sweet potato leaf's defects used as a kind of vegetable

  
 
 

Sweet potato leaf has become a presentable dish in national banquets.

Sweet potato leaf has become a presentable dish in national banquets.
In current society, sweet potato leaf is a famous dish in big restaurants. Even President Shui-bian Chen used it to cook with milkfish ball and became an exquisite dish in national banquets. The over 100-year-old elderly eat sweet potato leaves to promote their health. Lately, the prices of sweet potato and sweet potato leaves are increasing. How can the young people nowadays realize the history of sweet potato? They definitely cannot imagine the harsh time when only sweet potatoes were available for food. Even if sweet potato itself cannot foresee it will become a prestigious crop someday.