Héyáng Beiléi Sweet Potatoes

Héyáng Beiléi Sweet Potatoes

　　Héyáng Beiléi Sweet Potatoes are a specialty of Beiléi Village, Mochi Town, Héyáng County, Weinan City, Shaanxi Province. Héyáng County has a long history of sweet potato cultivation, with high-quality sweet potato planting now covering an area of 100,000 mu. The “Héyáng Beiléi Red” sweet potato has become a well-known and reputable brand.

　　Sweet potatoes, also known as red yams, sweet tubers, or yams, have a cultivation history of 7,000 years. They are highly nutritious—each 50 grams contains 2.3 grams of protein, 0.2 grams of fat, 29 grams of carbohydrates, 129 kilocalories, 1.3 milligrams of carotene, 0.12 milligrams of vitamin B1, 0.04 milligrams of vitamin B2, 30 milligrams of vitamin C, 0.5 milligrams of niacin, 18 milligrams of calcium, 20 milligrams of phosphorus, 0.4 milligrams of iron, as well as various trace elements such as potassium and copper. They offer health benefits, help prevent constipation, and enhance physiological vitality. Rich in vitamin A, sweet potatoes can also treat eye diseases and have anti-cancer properties.

　　The loess plateau in the southeastern part of Héyáng is particularly suitable for growing sweet potatoes. Even varieties that perform only averagely elsewhere often become sweet and delicious after being cultivated here for a few years. According to the *Héyáng County Annals*, in the third year of the Republic of China (1914), Li Cunding from Nanshun Village, Xinchí Town, introduced sweet potatoes from Henan to Héyáng, referring to them as “old sweet potatoes.” By the 1960s, sweet potato cultivation had spread throughout the county, and the “Héyáng Brand” sweet potato had been nationally registered. Héyáng sweet potatoes were mostly transported fresh to Xi’an, Gansu, and Xinjiang, and in recent years, have been sold as far as Beijing and Shanghai. Sweet potatoes can also be dried into chips, used for brewing, sugar production, and citric acid manufacturing, or processed into starch flour and noodles.

　　The main varieties of Héyáng sweet potatoes include Xiangyang Hong, Nongda Hong, Xi Shu 209, 88-3, and Beiléi Hong. The “Beiléi Hong,” cultivated by farmers in Beiléi Village, Mochi Town, features a red skin and yellow flesh, with a moderate size, dry texture, and sweet taste. Whether roasted or steamed, it is extremely delicious and enjoys great popularity in the market.