It doesn’t take much “root”-ing around on the internet or in the grocery store to recognize that, in recent years, sweet potatoes have been making a name for themselves beyond the Thanksgiving table. As the knowledge of sweet potatoes’ nutrient-density has become more widespread, the global market for sweet potatoes has continuously and consistently grown over several years. As of 2018, the global sweet potato market was as high as $43.5 billion, with an estimated CAGR of 1.1 to 1.6 percent from 2019 to 2025.1
Sweet potatoes offer 4 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein in just one medium potato, and the vegetable gets its signature orange color from the 120 percent of daily value of Vitamin A it provides.2 Potassium and Vitamin C are also nutrients to which sweet potatoes lay some claim. These nutritional features, plus the distinct sweet flavor juxtaposed on a traditionally savory side dish, make sweet potatoes a desirable addition to meals. To this end, sweet potatoes have begun to be incorporated into foods as replacements for other foods, or as ingredients.
Emerging sweet potato categories
There are several emerging product categories for sweet potatoes:
- Dehydrated forms:3 sweet potato chips and crackers have been around for a few years, but flours, flakes, and granules are becoming more common for both commercial and consumer purchase and use. A great deal of the nutrition in sweet potatoes is likely to carry over into dehydrated sweet potato products, including fat-soluble Vitamin A and fiber. Potassium may break down under heat, and the water-soluble nature of Vitamin C means that it may be lost during dehydration.
- Sweet potato nectar:4,5 this is gaining popularity as an alternative to honey, especially, but also to other natural syrups. While the “natural” sense of this sweetener is likely appealing to consumers, most of the nutrients for which whole sweet potatoes are known are unlikely to be part of the nectar.
- Sweet potato rice and noodles: a quick Google search shows lots of recipes for using grated or spiralized sweet potatoes as rice and noodles, respectively. These are both products that could easily be sold frozen or dehydrated for consumers, and would likely retain most of their nutritional value either way.
As sweet potatoes make their mark as nutritious powerhouses, there is great opportunity to dig into their versatility and incorporate them into new products. Not only can the above products be sold both commercially or to end consumers, new products can be formulated using these ingredients. Perhaps sweet potato sweetened brownies or sweet potato thickened puddings are in the future utilizing these nutrient-dense root vegetables.
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Resources
- Global Sweet Potatoes Market Outlook
- Commodity: Sweet Potatoes
- Sweet Potato Production, Processing, and Nutritional Quality
- Sweet Potato Nectars
- As Sweet as Honey: Sweet Potato Juice Replaces Natural Sweeteners
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