Q. Edward Wang, "Staple to Superfood: A Global History of the Sweet Potato" (Columbia UP, 2025)

Jan 14, 2026

Q. Edward Wang, a historian and cultural expert, delves into the fascinating journey of the sweet potato, from its introduction to Europe by Columbus as an aphrodisiac to its role in China's population growth. He discusses its use in Japan during famines, contrasting regional adaptations, and explores its significance in Southeast Asia and beyond. Wang highlights the nutritional acclaim it has garnered as a 'superfood' and contrasts it with the white potato, showcasing how this resilient crop has transformed agricultural practices and cultural identities worldwide.

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INSIGHT

Everyday Items Reveal Big Historical Shifts

Q. Edward Wang links everyday objects and food to historiography's bottom-up turn in the postwar era.
He argues studying chopsticks and sweet potatoes reveals how daily life drives broad historical change.

INSIGHT

Sweet Potato Is Botanically Distinct

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) and white potato are botanically unrelated despite similar roles.
Sweet potato is a dicot in the morning-glory family and is a swollen root, not a stem tuber.

INSIGHT

Why Farmers Favor Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes offer higher energy, wider tolerances, and edible leaves compared with white potatoes.
They grow on marginal soils, suit intercropping, and can be eaten raw or cooked, increasing versatility.

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Sweet potatoes were among the American crops Christopher Columbus brought back to Europe—where they were thought to be an aphrodisiac. In China, this versatile root became a staple that fueled rapid population growth. Introduced to Japan to stave off famine, sweet potatoes later sustained the country’s imperial expansion. Because this hardy plant can thrive in almost any soil, it has long been cultivated as a subsistence crop in Southeast Asia, Africa, and Oceania. In recent years, Western health experts have begun touting the humble sweet potato as a “superfood” with numerous nutritional benefits.

Considering these events and many others, Staple to Superfood: A Global History of the Sweet Potato (Columbia UP, 2025) explores the sweet potato’s rich history and remarkable global influence. Dr. Q. Edward Wang demonstrates how this resilient root has not only nourished communities but also defined their identities. Tracing its journeys through the intricate networks of global trade and cultural exchange, he shows how the sweet potato transformed agricultural practices, culinary traditions, and social structures worldwide. From the Americas to Europe to Asia and the Pacific, the spread of this crop illuminates the varied paths that global development has taken. Dr. Wang also contrasts the sweet potato with its botanically unrelated namesake, the white potato. Blending agricultural, cultural, and historical perspectives, Staple to Superfood offers a fresh look at the power of food to transform societies. It is a compelling exploration of how the sweet potato shaped the modern world and continues to influence global food systems today.

This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda’s interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.

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