5/8/2023 0 Comments Yam vs sweet potato![]() ![]() Given the confusion, you should know the difference between the two tubers if you intend to cook with either, especially yam. How to Tell Between Yams and Sweet Potatoes? Although the true yam would appear much later, the nomenclature and its consequent confusions were set. Growers also started using yam to distinguish the orangey sweet potatoes from the firmer, white species. These slaves called the orangey sweet potato ‘yam’ because of its similarity to the tuber from their homeland. The Encyclopedia Britannica puts the source of confusion at the time Africans were brought to America. Some of them leave a slightly acrid aftertaste that can be reduced during cooking. Some yams have a more fibrous texture, while some are very soft. Yams have a similar starchy flavor, but turn softer on cooking. Sweet potato has a starchy flavor, similar to a potato, but with a sweet taste. Photo Credit: ShutterstockĪlthough they are both starchy vegetables that have to be cooked first, one of their marked differences is in their flavors. Yam Vs sweet potato: know the difference. Yams come in many colors, from white, pink, yellow, to a lovely purple. In many places like West Africa, it is one of the principal agricultural commodities. It is an umbrella term for many species and native to the warmer regions of the world, mostly Africa and Asia. Yams belong to the genus Dioscorea of the family Dioscoreaceae. And that is pretty much where their similarity stops. Some species of yam look similar to sweet potatoes. Yams and sweet potatoes are tubers that come from flowering plants. Difference Between Yams and Sweet Potatoes In fact, they are two completely different tubers. But despite a somewhat similar appearance, there is a marked difference between yams and sweet potatoes. Most of the yams you find on supermarket shelves are actually sweet potatoes. Blame the supermarkets in America where yams and sweet potatoes are often labeled interchangeably. ![]() If you think this is confusing, don’t blame us. Turns out that a yam by any other name may very well be a sweet potato! So, here’s a food epiphany for you, that lovely roasted orangey yam you’ve been adding to your soup and stews is actually a sweet potato. ![]()
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