Like many root vegetables, yams and sweet potatoes are important in food insecure areas, especially those affected by seasonal droughts or rains, because they can be stored for long periods of time without needing to be refrigerated. In other words, determining which is healthier really comes down to what nutritional content is desired, as well as how the sweet potato or yam is cooked. They differ most when it comes to sugar content (sweet potatoes have more), potassium (yams), vitamin C (yams), vitamin A (sweet potatoes), and beta-carotene (sweet potatoes). On the outside, their skins may be dark brown or light pink, while on the inside, their flesh is usually white or yellow, with some occasionally having purple or pink flesh.īoth sweet potatoes and yams are very nutritious, but in slightly different ways. Some yams are the size and shape of small potatoes, while others can grow up to 1.5m (nearly 5ft) in length and weigh over 100lbs (70kg). Yams have greater variance in their appearance than sweet potatoes do. (When both varieties of sweet potato were first commercially sold in North America, producers wanted a simple way to differentiate between the two, and so began calling the soft, orange-fleshed variety a "yam," as some West African slaves did.) Firm, white-fleshed sweet potatoes are starchier and more potato-like than soft, orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, which are more likely to be mislabeled as yams. Both are around the size of regular potatoes, though usually skinnier and with tapered ends. In Canada and the U.S., two main varieties of sweet potato are sold: one that is golden-skinned and white on the inside and one that is pink-skinned and orange on the inside. As there are many different kinds of sweet potatoes and yams, these plants and roots' appearances vary considerably. Sweet potatoes and yams are the roots of sweet potato and yam plants or vines. The following video gives a brief history of yams and shows purple yams being used in Jamaican home cooking. They can be made into main dishes, side dishes, or desserts. It is common for both to be baked, roasted, grilled, boiled, fried, or cooked in a variety of other ways. Sweet potatoes, especially orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, are almost always sweeter than yams, but both vegetables are versatile and can have their flavors and textures altered depending on the method of cooking and ingredients used with them. However, with a wide variety of both yams and sweet potatoes in existence, there is considerable overlap when it comes to flavor and texture. Most yams have a drier, potato-like starchiness than most sweet potatoes, which tend to have a rich flavor and, in some cases, creamy texture. Today, yams are grown around the world, but West Africa is still where most yam crops - nearly 95% - are grown. There are hundreds of yam varieties, but most were originally native to Africa and Asia. In the U.S., nearly 40% of the country's sweet potatoes are grown in North Carolina. Sweet potatoes are thought to have originated in Central or South America, but the vast majority of today's sweet potato production comes from China. Has more fat, carbs, fiber, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and vitamin E than sweet potatoes do. Has more sugar, protein, calcium, iron, sodium, vitamin A, beta-carotene, and water than yams do. Skins may be dark brown or light pink insides white, yellow, purple, or pink. Some yams are the size and shape of small potatoes others can grow up to 1.5m (5ft) in length and weigh over 100lbs (70kg). Both are around the size of regular potatoes, though skinnier and with tapered ends. In Canada and the U.S., two main varieties are sold: one that is golden-skinned and white on the inside and one that is pink-skinned and orange on the inside. Versatile flavor easily altered by cooking methods. Starchier and more potato-like, usually not very sweet. Soft, orange-fleshed sweet potatoes are sweeter than firm, white-fleshed sweet potatoes. Comparison chart Sweet Potato versus Yam comparison chartĪlmost always sweeter than yams.
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