In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleWhy the Confusion?What Is a Yam?What Is a Sweet Potato?How to Use Them
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
Why the Confusion?
What Is a Yam?
What Is a Sweet Potato?
How to Use Them
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Photo: Getty Images
For many of us, the termssweet potatoand yam may be interchangeable. The truth is, generations of Americans have been getting it wrong. Sweet potatoes and yams are not the same. They are two separate foods that aren’t even from the same family. We’ll tell you when the confusion exactly began, and explain, once and for all, what the difference is between sweet potatoes and yams.
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So, What Is a Yam?
A yam is the modified stem or tuber of a tropical vine calledDioscorea batatas. Although they may look similar to sweet potatoes, they are an entirely different species (yams belong to theDioscoreaceaefamily and are related to grasses and lilies, and sweet potatoes belong to the morning glory family) and not even remotely related. Yams grow in subtropical and tropical climates like Africa, South America and the Caribbean and are commonly found in cuisines from those areas. There are more than 150 different yam varieties in the world.
Unlike sweet potatoes, most yams are starchy and not very sweet—if anything they taste more like potatoes or yuca (also know as cassava or manioc) than sweet potatoes. They have a more cylindrical shape with rough, scaly skin that’s brown and almost tree-bark-like in appearance. Their flesh can range in color from off-white to red or purple, while their flavor is mostly mild and neutral. They are high in carbohydrates with a decent amount of fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium and manganese.
Real yams are not widely available in the U.S. They are usually found at grocery stores that specialize in Latin American, Caribbean, Southeast Asian and African products.
A sweet potato is the storage root ofIpomoea batatas.They grow in warm, temperate climates as well as in tropical regions. They are native to the Americas but grown in many parts of the world. Thousands of different varieties exist today.
Compared to yams, sweet potatoes are shorter. They usually have a bulging middle with ends that taper to a point. In the U.S., sweet potatoes are generally categorized into two types: firm and soft. Firm sweet potatoes usually have generallypale skinand flesh and are drier and less sweet. Soft sweet potatoes are usually darker all around and are moister and sweeter. These orange-fleshed varieties are the ones most commonly mistaken for “yams.” Sweet potatoes grown stateside can have thinner skin that ranges in color from yellow to red to purple with flesh that’s pale yellow, orange or purple.
Sweet potatoes have a similarnutritional profileto yams, however, they are higher in sugar, vitamin A and beta carotene.
Although peak sweet potato season is in the winter, they can be found year-round at grocery stores in the U.S. Some of the most popular varieties are Hannah (light brown skin and off-white flesh), Jewel (red-brown skin and dark-orange flesh), Garnet (red-purple skin and orange flesh) and Beauregard (dusty-red skin and orange flesh).
Uses for Yams vs. Sweet Potatoes
We recommend sticking with soft sweet potato varieties for traditional Thanksgiving dishes likeCandied Sweet PotatoesandSmashed Spiced Sweet Potatoes, and in dishes where their natural sweetness is key. If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on some real, fresh yams, try boiling, roasting or frying them.
The Bottom Line
A yam is a tuber. A sweet potato is a root. Yams tend to be more cylindrical and have scaly, bark-like skin. Sweet potatoes tend to have a more tapered shape and may be firm or soft with thinner skin. Generally, sweet potatoes taste sweeter than yams. You will more readily encounter sweet potatoes during your regular grocery run, but if you spot a yam, which may be labeled “sweet potato,” you’ll know the truth.
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