Can You Still Eat Purple Sweet Potatoes That Have Sprouted? Here's How to Grow Them as a Potted Plant

Purple sweet potatoes, like sweet potatoes and garlic, will sprout and become inedible if stored improperly or left for too long. But since sweet potatoes and garlic are commonly eaten foods, many people assume that once they sprout they can still be eaten. In fact, they cannot. So can you still eat purple sweet potatoes that have sprouted? How do you grow them into a potted plant?

I. Introduction to Purple Sweet Potatoes:

1. When are purple sweet potatoes in season?

Purple sweet potatoes generally mature and come to market from September to early November, but because planting times differ, the time they come to market also varies. For example, if grown for fresh eating, they are usually harvested in early November; if grown as seed stock, they are usually harvested in mid-to-late October, but at the latest they must be harvested before frost.

2. Will eating purple sweet potatoes make you gain weight?

Eating purple sweet potatoes generally will not make you gain weight, because purple sweet potatoes are very low in calories, containing 82 kcal per 100 g, which is equivalent to needing about 53 minutes of walking after eating one. However, if you eat a lot of them, you will gain weight, because purple sweet potatoes contain a large amount of sugar, and eating too much makes them hard to digest, leading to fat accumulation and weight gain.

II. Can You Still Eat Purple Sweet Potatoes That Have Sprouted?

1. In general, purple sweet potatoes that have sprouted cannot be eaten, because after sprouting they produce a toxin that can easily cause symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhea if eaten, and at the same time the nutritional value and water content of sprouted purple sweet potatoes are largely lost, so they do not taste very good. Therefore, it is best not to eat them. Personally, I suggest buying only as many as you can eat, and if you buy too many, you can give them to relatives and friends.

2. Purple sweet potatoes that have sprouted generally cannot be eaten, but if they have only sprouted a tiny bit or have just begun to sprout small shoots, then they can still be eaten. However, when eating them you must cut off the sprouted parts to avoid mold or black spots, and they must be steamed or boiled thoroughly before eating.

III. How Do You Grow Sprouted Purple Sweet Potatoes into a Potted Plant?

After purple sweet potatoes sprout, they can be planted in a flower pot. Not only can they serve as a potted plant, they can also produce fruit. The specific planting method is as follows:

Step 1: Find a flower pot or plastic basin, then pour in a small amount of water.

Step 2: Place the sprouted purple sweet potato into the flower pot or plastic basin, taking care that the water does not submerge the purple sweet potato.

Step 3: Put it in a place with light for a period of time, and the purple sweet potato will grow roots and leaves. During this period, change the water once a day.

Step 4: Pick off the young leaves that grow, transplant them into a flower pot, and then cover with soil. This way, purple sweet potatoes can grow. Of course, after the leaves have grown for 3 weeks, you can pick them and boil or stir-fry them; they taste quite good too.

Overall, it is best not to eat purple sweet potatoes after they have sprouted, but if they have just sprouted, they can still be eaten, and when eating them you must cut off the sprouted parts. Of course, you can also put them in a flower pot with water and cultivate them for a few days, then transplant them into a pot with soil to grow them, and in this way they can also produce purple sweet potatoes.