Why americans have been confused about this for hundreds of years. According to the north carolina sweet potato commission, the. Alton brown discusses the difference between sweet potatoes and yams with a nutritional anthropologist, covering their history and varietal differences and even storage methods. The sweet potato, a member of the morning glory family, is grown around the world, although its indigenous to the americas and is especially popular in the southern united states. At loop 370, you notice the sweet potato yams between the sweet potato yams. Download beyond candied yams sweet potato pie free books.
A 1 cup serving of sweet potato supplies 1840 micrograms of this vitamin while the same amount of yams only supplies 8 micrograms. The skin of a yam left looks kind of like tree bark, while a sweet potato right is more reddishbrown. In asia and new zealand, purple and yellow sweet potatoes can be found as well. Stirfried with garlic and soy bean paste, sweet potato leaves and the peeled stems, together make a rice meal more satisfying and nutritious.
Sweet potatoes vs yams vs taro vs yuca hilah cooking. Sep, 2017 the skin of a yam left looks kind of like tree bark, while a sweet potato right is more reddishbrown. It differs greatly from the sweetpotato in taste, texture, appearance and family. Sep 23, 2016 according to chef marc bauer, master chef at the international culinary center, a yam is characterized by dark and sometimes rough skin, though the flesh is whiter in shade and dry. Ships transporting enslaved africans to america were provisioned with true yams dioscorea, a. True yams have rough, scaly skin and often purple or red flesh, can grow up to five feet, and are starchier than sweet potatoes. Thanks for a great article on the differences between sweet potatoes and yams. Alton brown discuses the difference between sweet potatoes and yams with nutritional anthropologist deb duchon. When choosing yams and sweet potatoes, select ones that feel firm and have unwrinkled flesh. Why a yam is not a sweet potato smart news smithsonian. What is the difference between a sweet potato and a yam. Know what kind of sweet potato you want for your recipe, and be alert to the yam sweet potato labeling concept, but also use your eyes to look at the color of the skin and the flesh, if possible. The satsumaimo trumps the idaho white with fewer carbs 24.
Yams have more fiber, potassium and vitamins c, b6 and e than sweet potatoes. Compared to sweet potatoes, yams are less sweet and much more starchy and dry. Sweet potatoes are a surprisingly nutritious vegetable. Nov 09, 2017 however, there are lots of different soft and firm varieties of sweet potato, which come in a number of different color varieties both inside and out white, yellow, red, and even purple. It tends to have a drier texture and is less sweet than darkskinned sweet potatoes. Terri milligan, milwaukee journal sentinel published 6. What is the difference between a sweetpotato and a yam.
There are approximately 400 different varieties of sweet potatoes. According to chef marc bauer, master chef at the international culinary center, a yam is characterized by dark and sometimes rough skin, though the flesh is whiter in shade and dry. Sep, 2016 sweet potatoes are more moist and sweet than a yam, and can come in a variety of colors with red or light skin and orange or white flesh. To avoid confusion, the usda has made it a requirement. Whats the difference between yams and sweet potatoes. Nov 25, 2015 sweet potatoes are from the morning glory family and yams are related to lilies and grasses. Whats the difference between a sweet potato and a yam. Sep 21, 2017 goldenskinned, palefleshed sweet potatoes. Real potatoes like your trusty russet belong to the nightshade family. Not sure what the difference is between a sweet potato and a yam. Yams require more oil, cream, or butter when cooked and are. However, there are lots of different soft and firm varieties of sweet potato, which come in a number of different color varieties both inside and out white, yellow, red, and even purple. Jan 31, 2017 stirfried with garlic and soy bean paste, sweet potato leaves and the peeled stems, together make a rice meal more satisfying and nutritious. Traditionally made with ube filipino sweet potato, this recipe will work with any purple or orange sweet potato or yam.
The sweet potato is in the morning glory family, while yams are related to palms and grasses. Basic sweet potatoes are strong sources of betacarotene, manganese, and copper. They are both tuberous root vegetables that come from a flowering plant, but they are not related and actually dont even have a lot in common. The big difference is the amount of vitamin a you get from a sweet potatoone serving gives you 270 percent of your daily vitamin a needs.
Most people seem to be under the impression that yams and sweet potatoes are the same vegetable. So whats the difference between yams and sweet potatoes. Learn the difference between a yam and a sweet potato. Sweet potatoes contain calcium, iron, protein, beta carotene, sodium, vitamin a and more sugar and water than yams.
Yams a staple in some west african countries are native to. The truth is we all have probably called a yam a sweet potato and vice versa. Pretty sweet deal since the vitamin plays a big role in eye health, muscle and. Yams require more oil, cream, or butter when cooked and are generally more starchy than the modern sweet potato, bauer says. The characteristics of sweet potatoes and yams are also different. Roast them with other veggies for a delicious side dish, dice them up into a hearty yam stew, or, if youve got a sweet tooth, try a batch of candied yams coated in butter. But when it comes to nutrition, sweet potatoes score much higher. Its creamy, almost like a yukon gold potato, and slightly sweet. Nov 21, 2011 well when it comes to the sweet potato and yam side dishes and desserts we typically think of, it really makes no difference. According to all about sweet potatoes, there are more than 6,500 varieties of the spud.
Yams have a cylindrical shape with blackish or brown, barklike skin and white, purple, or reddish flesh. Oct 14, 2019 sweet potato nutrition includes high vitamin a content. According to the national academies of sciences, the recommended daily allowance for vitamin a for women is 700 micrograms and 900 micrograms for men. Compared with yams, sweet potatoes are lower in calories and have far more betacarotene 11. Ships transporting enslaved africans to america were provisioned with true yams dioscorea, a large hairy root of tropical origins. Dorling kindersleygetty images real yams are entirely different root vegetables that are. A 12 cup serving of baked yam versus baked sweet potato reveals that the sweet potato is higher in calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, sodium 36 mg versus 5. The sweet potatoes and yams you see in a regular grocery store are really just different varieties of the same sweet vegetable.
Your browser does not currently recognize any of the video formats. If there is one question that everyone i meet seems to have, it is the difference between yams and sweet potatoes. Many times the names sweet potato and yam are used interchangeably in conversation, in cooking and even at the supermarket, but they are really two different vegetables. Nov 01, 2017 sweet potatoes contain calcium, iron, protein, beta carotene, sodium, vitamin a and more sugar and water than yams. Although sweet potatoes live up to their name when it. How to tell the difference between yams and sweet potatoes ehow. A yam is not a sweet potato and a sweet potato is not a yam. Learn the difference between sweet potatoes and yams. Hilah settles this ageold thanksgiving table debate and shows you some cooking methods for sweet potatoes. This version is firmer with a golden skin and light yellow flesh. It is rough and scaly and very low in beta carotene. A true yam is a starchy edible root of the dioscorea genus, and is generally imported to america from the caribbean. Nov 14, 2017 yams and sweet potatoes are two different plants.
Although the terms are generally used interchangeably, the u. As there are many different kinds of sweet potatoes and yams, these plants and roots appearances vary considerably in canada and the u. Get more out of the cookful with this popular video. There are many types of sweet potatoes ranging from white, yellow, red, purple. The truth is that the former, the supermarket yam, is not a yam at all but a type of sweet potato. These are genus dioscoreaceae and are native to tropical and temperate africa, asia and oceana. Types of sweet potatoes with images and why you should. The difference between sweet potatoes and yams the cookful. You can distinguish a yam from a sweet potato before you even bite in. The mild flavored yam, on the other hand, is relatively less. Sweet potatoes are from the convolvulaceae morning glory family, and are native to tropical parts of the american continents. Can you tell the difference between a sweet potato and a yam. How to tell the difference between yams and sweet potatoes.
Cooked orangefleshed sweet potatoes have a similar texture to that of a yam, however the whitefleshed variety are not as sweet and have more of a grainy texture, like a regular potato. Actual sweet potatoes have short, smooth skinned roots with tapered ends whereas actual yams are long and cylindrical with rough, scaly skins. Mazola corn oil, sweet potatoes, brown sugar, lemon juice. It turns out sweet potatoes are not merely potatoes that happen to be sweet. The difference between yams and sweet potatoes is structural. Sweet potato vs yam difference and comparison diffen. Rest assured ill have this vegetable confusion cleared up for you in no time. In fact, youve probably bought a sweet potato, thinking it was yam. Sweet potato nutrition includes high vitamin a content. Dec 09, 2010 a 12 cup serving of baked yam versus baked sweet potato reveals that the sweet potato is higher in calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, sodium 36 mg versus 5. Most sweet potato varieties there are around 400 have at least one tapered end and a fairly smooth surface. You begin to believe each sixsecond loop contains infinite utterances of the phrase yams. Yams do not contain as much vitamin a and c as sweet potatoes.
Some may look like common potatoes on the outside, some may be much larger with smooth skin and tapered ends. On the left is a typical yam sold in the us actually a variety of sweet potato, and on the right is a sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are not a type of yam, and yams are not a type of sweet potato. That confusion is twofold and centuries old, beginning with the slave trade. If i were to use a sweet potato diet thinking they were yams to correct my infertility diagnosis i would be frustrated, to say the least. The surprising difference between sweet potato and yam. Sweet potatoes are from the morning glory family and yams are related to lilies and grasses. The purple tuber, known as satsumaimo, is similar to a regular sweet potato, high in antioxidants and healthier than a white potato. Not only can you tell a sweet potato by its color, the end is sometimes tapered and thin and usually the skin is smooth.
Jun 08, 2019 lets clear up one very important point. Aug 03, 2016 not sure what the difference is between a sweet potato and a yam. Skin colors can be white, yellow, red, copper and even purple. Sweet potatoes, on the other hand are members of the convolvulaceae family fyi, neither sweet potatoes nor yams are related to common potatoes, which are in the solanaceae family. Unlike the sweet potato, yams must be cooked to eat safely. Unlike the sweet potato, yams must be cooked to be safely eaten. Difference between yams and sweet potatoes youtube. Although they may look and taste very similar, the true yam and sweet potato are not botanically related. Department of agriculture requires that the label yam always be accompanied by sweet potato.
Yams and sweet potatoes are well loved around the world but many people do not know the difference between the two. As there are many different kinds of sweet potatoes and yams, these plants and roots appearances vary considerably. Technically, both sweet potatoes and yams come from flowering plants but they are actually not botanically related. Sweet potatoes have thin, smooth skin and orange or white flesh. Read about the difference between sweet potatoes and yams, plus. Sweet potatoes and yams are the roots of sweet potato and yam plants or vines.
Dioscoreaceae a tuber or bulb of a tropical vine grown central. This is probably what most of you picture when you think of a sweet potato light tan skin, slightly yellow interior. Jun 04, 2019 cooked orangefleshed sweet potatoes have a similar texture to that of a yam, however the whitefleshed variety are not as sweet and have more of a grainy texture, like a regular potato. Convolvulaceae morning glory family grown in tropical america moist mouth feel sweet taste yam name. Once considered as the poor mans vegetable, sweet potato leaves are increasingly in demand in the western countries nowadays. They can have orange, cream, white or even purple flesh. What is the difference between sweet potatoes and yams. Apr 17, 2012 but when it comes to nutrition, sweet potatoes score much higher. Depending on the variety, sweetpotato flesh can vary from white to orange and even purple. Yams a staple in some west african countries are native to africa and asia, while the sweet potato. Preparation is a timeconsuming process involving several minutes of pounding and boiling to remove toxins.
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