Some called them sweet potatoes and some call them Yams. Whatever you call them, this yummy vegetable is made for various favorite dishes that are served from our kitchen on a regular basis. Food Network’s Robin Charles shares with us little known facts about yams vs sweet potatoes that may help the vegetable challenged.
Here’s Robin’s Fresh Take:
Now that it’s November, I’m ready to, ahem, yam it up. We typically think of this root vegetable during the cool months and holiday season, but yams are sweet, nutrient-packed and available year-round. Learn all about this superstar veggie and my favorite ways to serve it. Plus: What’s the difference between sweet potatoes and yams?
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Sweet Potatoes Vs. Yams
First up, what’s a yam? Lots of folks use yams while calling them “sweet potatoes.” Grocery stores only add to the confusion — the USDA requires the labels on yams to also say sweet potatoes. Here’s how to tell the difference: Yams have copper skin and a deliciously sweet orange flesh, while sweet potatoes have yellow-gray skin and white to yellowish flesh. If you can’t tell from the skin, poke your fingernail into the skin to see the flesh underneath (but don’t tell the produce people I said so).
So, the difference between sweet potatoes and yams is simply variety. Not to confuse you (but in an effort to leave no stone unturned) true “yams” aren’t related to either one – they’re tropical root vegetables with a crisp, bland, white/yellow flesh (and they’re sold mostly in Latin grocery stores so you don’t see them as often).
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The Nutrition Facts
Nutritionally, yams rule. Thanks to the orange flesh, yams are brimming with vitamin C and beta carotene, both powerful antioxidants. They also boast potassium and fiber and clock in at about 150 calories per cup.
Want to know what to do with your yams? Click here for the full article.
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