TCM Basics 101: Supermarket Herbs - Sweet Potato
TCM Nature: Neutral
TCM Taste: Sweet
TCM Meridian Affinity: Kidney, Spleen
Benefits:
Tonify the Middle and benefit the Spleen
Regulate Blood
Nourish Qi
Quench thirst and reduce edema
Help with digestive system health and relieve constipation
Help with Damp-heat and jaundice
Read about What is Dampness here.
Spirituality:
Sweet potato has a spiritual significance in Papua. Spiritual ceremonies always have sweet potatoes in activities such as praying, prostrating, sacrificing, communal eating, dancing and singing.
Sweet potato is a symbol of peace and can resolve any problem. In intertribal war, sweet potatoes are always used to bring peace to warring tribes. By raising sweet potatoes in the midst of war another tribe will know that it signifies peace to the warring tribes.
It is said that dreaming of sweet potatoes usually symbolizes hope and faith. Sweet potatoes are often considered a good luck charm in some cultures, so it is not surprising that they are seen as symbols of hope and faith in dreams. Read also on Pumpkin here as a herb that symbolizes abundance.