Kūmara (sweet potato) has a long history of cultivation in New Zealand. Kūmara was brought here over one thousand years ago from the Pacific islands by early Maori settlers. This bush had much smaller tubers and was widely grown, especially in the semi-tropical regions of the North Island.
What vegetable category is sweet potato?
Sweet potatoes are part of the red/orange group in the MyPlate vegetable group. This group is important for our eyes and skin as it has a lot of Vitamin A.
What kind of food is a kumara?
Meet the kumara, a sweet starchy root vegetable commonly grown in the North Island of New Zealand. Kumara travelled many miles to New Zealand from the Pacific Islands in the hands of Maori settlers and quickly became a staple of Maori diets.
What type of fruit is sweet potatoes?
Sweet potatoes are vegetables. They grow on the root of a plant and do not contain any seeds. Because of their sweet flavor, many people often assume that sweet potatoes are fruits. Fruits grow from the flowers of plants, and vegetables typically grow from the roots or stems.
Is there a difference between kumara and sweet potato?
Sweet potatoes are also known as kumara (or kumera) in New Zealand, batatas or boniatos in South America, umala by Samoans, and 'uala by Native Hawaiians. Kumara was a staple of the Maori in New Zealand prior to the arrival of Europeans, and is popular throughout the Pacific region.
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