# Yams Arent Sweet Potatoes!



## J'Bo (Aug 1, 2003)

Most people think that yams and sweet potatoes are the same thing....Thats incorrect.

It is possible to make an enormous fuss over the difference between sweet potatoes and yams. Botanically speaking, the two vegetables share nothing except for some flowery associations. The yam, a tuber, is a member of the lily family, while the sweet potato is a member of the morning glory family. Yams are usually sweeter, moister, plumper, denser, and a deeper orange color than sweet potatoes -- though not always. The two plants also come from different parts of the world. The yam probably originated in Africa (although it may be the same plant that had been cultivated in Asia since 8000 B.C.); the sweet potato is a New World plant discovered by Columbus (although it may have mysteriously traveled to Polynesia hundreds of years prior to Columbus's first voyage). Slaves in the American South called the sweet potato nyamis because of its similarity to a vegetable of that name that they knew from their homeland. This African word brought the two vegetables together, probably for all eternity, despite botany, archaeology, plant pathology, and the like. And that's probably just as well. 

For all practical purposes, it might be more intriguing to think of the yam and the sweet potato as twins separated at birth, growing up with different quirks and twitches but retaining the essential sweet nature that makes them virtually interchangeable from a culinary perspective. Furthermore, the yams generally available in this country are really a variety of sweet potato. (True yams do offer one element missing from sweet potatoes; they contain a compound from which the sex hormone estrogen was first manufactured.) 

The value of the sweet potato as a main-course vegetable as well as a dessert has been proven in most cultures and at every American Thanksgiving. The European acceptance of the sweet potato following Columbus's return to Spain was immediate and enthusiastic. The Spanish potato, as it became known, was also soon elevated to the status of aphrodisiac, assuring it an entree to the highest levels of society. Henry VIII had sweet potatoes imported from Spain and made into many types of confections. The distinguished culinary writer and chef Antonin Careme assured the vegetable immortality when he included it in his classic The Art Of French Cooking in the Nineteenth Century. Perhaps less well known is the vegetable's popularity both in China, where it is sun-dried and used for noodle making, and in Japan, where it has been a staple for hundreds of years, especially when typhoons have decimated the rice crop. 

But it is the American Thanksgiving that is the true test of the sweet potato's versatility. It is transformed into pies, puddings, and muffins, as well as candied vegetables, biscuits, and even ice cream. The wonder is that, like so many of the foods associated with Thanksgiving, from cranberries and chestnuts to the turkey itself, sweet potatoes are packed away, psychologically speaking, until the next Thanksgiving comes along. Not only can sweet potatoes be substituted in almost any recipe for white potatoes with unexpected and sprightly results, but they make tasty and unusual combinations when sauteed with garlic and tomatoes, layered in gratins with various types of cheese, or fried in tempura batter and served with dipping sauces. 

In Louisiana Creole country, any day might begin with sweet potatoes in the form of waffles, fritters, or pone. But when there is world enough and time, people look forward to one of the oldest Creole specialties, patates douces. As originally prepared, sweet potatoes are buried in ashes at the end of a meal and left to cook slowly until the next. The almost century-old Picayune Creole Cook Book issued this word of warning in 1901: "[preparing] the sweet potato is an art, for the delicate flavor of the potato is lost if it is not properly cooked." 

Homage to the sweet potato/yam is an institution in parts of Louisiana, where an annual October festival, the Yambilee, culminates in a colorful procession called the Grand Louisiana Parade.


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## ZECH (Aug 1, 2003)

Don't know bout Cananda, but down here, the sweet potato is a tuber and you make yams out of sweet potatoes!


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## Jodi (Aug 1, 2003)

Well DG we all know the south is a breed of their own anyway. and that goes along with Maine folk  

Yams are usually longer than sweet potatos as well but for the most part they look alike and even the grocery stores confuse them.


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## ZECH (Aug 1, 2003)

ok...............well yams here are candied sweet potatoes.


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## Skib (Aug 1, 2003)

so if i can't stand sweet potatoes then i probably won't like yams either?


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## Jodi (Aug 1, 2003)

Yup!  They taste very similiar. 

 DG candied yams are not the same.  Not even close.  You have candied yams and then use sweet potatoes in pies and bread.  Which BTW I'm done talking about cuz now I have to think about pies and bread


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## ZECH (Aug 1, 2003)

Mmmmmmmmmm! Sweet potatoe pie!!! With whip cream on top!


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## ZECH (Aug 1, 2003)

And that makes me think of Pecan pie too!!!!!!


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## ZECH (Aug 1, 2003)

Can't stop now....................with fried turkey, green beans, deviled eggs, warm yeast rolls and homemade cranberry sauce!  I just gained 10 pounds!


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## Mudge (Aug 1, 2003)

Ooh, pecan pie is good


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## MsFit (Aug 1, 2003)

> _*Originally posted by J'Bo *_
> 
> 
> In Louisiana Creole country, any day might begin with sweet potatoes in the form of waffles, fritters, or pone.



I'm from there and I've never even heard of dat cher.


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## Nigeepoo (Aug 1, 2003)

Hey, J'Bo. What about taro? (that rhymes!). According to http://www.anycities.com/user1/mendosa/gilists.htm yams have the lowest GI, taro is next and sweet potatoes are highest.


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## donescobar2000 (Aug 1, 2003)

Gosh me and my girlfriend have this arguement all the time.  I said it is the same thing.  She says its different.  I can't tell they both taste the same to me.


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## donescobar2000 (Aug 1, 2003)

All this talk about pie is going to make me bake a Protein Sweet Potato Pie.


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## Freeman (Aug 1, 2003)

I can't find any yams anywhere


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## donescobar2000 (Aug 1, 2003)

are yo trying to buy some?


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## Freeman (Aug 1, 2003)

yeah, I've never had a yam..only sweet potatoes, but no one around here seems to carry them


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## J'Bo (Aug 1, 2003)

well the opposite is true here in Winnipeg....sweet potatos in only one effin organic store and are $1 each and are the size of a small pototo...yams are everywhere and are HUGE like the size of a small sub and only $1 each.


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## buff_tat2d_chic (Aug 1, 2003)

So are they interchangeable for diet purposes?


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## J'Bo (Aug 2, 2003)

sweet potatoes actually look like potatoes before you crack them open and see that they are orange...yams are long tuberlike looking things...Yams are higher in sugar then sweet potatoes. If you can get sweet potatos i would stick to them and then carb up on Yams. IMO


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## OceanDude (Aug 2, 2003)

> _*Originally posted by Nigeepoo *_
> Hey, J'Bo. What about taro? (that rhymes!). According to http://www.anycities.com/user1/mendosa/gilists.htm yams have the lowest GI, taro is next and sweet potatoes are highest.



Hmm, this is very interesting to hear (btw thanks j'bo for the dissertation on yams vice sweet poratos. I learned something there.).  I use to love taro chips. I wonder if I could home make my own with canola oil...?!!!!


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## J'Bo (Aug 2, 2003)

your more than welcome


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## BabsieGirl (Mar 16, 2004)

Bump for someone


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## aztecwolf (Mar 16, 2004)

i like sweet potatoes more then yams, they do have a different taste, sweet potatoes i believe are more yellow looking before you cook them and yams have a more orangish color.


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## nikegurl (Mar 16, 2004)

> _*Originally posted by aztecwolf *_
> i like sweet potatoes more then yams, they do have a different taste, sweet potatoes i believe are more yellow looking before you cook them and yams have a more orangish color.




yes - that's been my experience too with the coloring.  the grocery stores i go to usually have both side by side.  i've found i prefer yams mainly for their texture - but the difference in taste isn't major.


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## PreMier (Mar 16, 2004)

Yams are gross... They are really bland IMO.  The Tongan BBQ's I go to use them.


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## nikegurl (Mar 16, 2004)

i used to hate 'em but when i'm dieting they become my very favorite thing b/c they taste so crazy sweet.


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## J'Bo (Mar 16, 2004)

thanks for bumping babs.
i am with you ng, i dont care for yams anyother time but dieting season.
they are good with mustard to cut the sweetness....but then again i put mustard on everything


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## nikegurl (Mar 16, 2004)

it's weird....if i'm not watching my diet i'd never ever want to eat one.  but when i'm being "good" they become this incredible treat.


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## Jill (Mar 16, 2004)

I like sweet potatoes way better than yams. Yams are bright orange inside and i think are sweeter. I prefer to spice sweet p's like a french fry, then bake!


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## TheRoyalOne (Mar 16, 2004)

Since we're on the subject of yams and sweet potatoes.......Anyone ever have a sweetpotatoe cheesecake? It's the BEST. Ironically enough, it's made with yams. Sweetpotaoe cobbler is also pretty good. And it's made with sweetpotatoes. Having cooked with both yams and sweetpotatoes, I can assure you they are definately different. Yams are much sweeter. Grocery stores here in Ca usually carry both.


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## Akateros (Mar 16, 2004)

Actually, the confusion is furthered by the fact that many stores label certain varieties of sweet potato as "yams."

This may help you, confused tuber eaters:
Yams and Sweet Potatoes from the Cooks' Thesaurus. With pictures.


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## Snivrad (Mar 16, 2004)

I just bought some sweet potatoes this morning. I noticed that alot of people have them in their diet. So I figured I'd try them.  
But now I have to figure out how to make them.  Any suggestions?


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## Nuclear Blast (Mar 16, 2004)

I'm from Louisiana, and I know the diffrence between the two.  Yams are mainly used to make candied yams.  You may see them around thanksgiving time.  They are baked with cloves and generally cinnamon or allspice.  A sugar glaze is used to give it that candied look.  Now, you can also do the same thing with sweet potatoes if you're in a jam, but you will not notice a big diffrence in taste or look.  There is a very suttle diffrence.


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## Nuclear Blast (Mar 16, 2004)

Take a fork and poke holes all around the sweet potato and stick in microwave for about 10-15 minutes.  Take out and feel (should be relatively soft and pliable to the touch.  If still hard put back in for another 4-5 min.  This is how I cook all my sweet po-tats!  It's the quickest way I know.  Just be sure not to over-microwave it or it will get shriveled and shrink.  After microwaving a few, you'll get the hang!


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## JLB001 (Mar 16, 2004)

These are the ones we get:  yacon Substitutes:  sweet potato OR yam

yam = moist-fleshed sweet potato   Notes:   Americans use the word "yam" to refer to a sweet, moist, orange-fleshed variety of sweet potato.   To everyone else in the world, a yam is what Americans call a tropical yam, a firm tuber with white flesh.  Varieties of American "yams" (sweet potatoes) include the garnet yam (pictured at left) and the jewel yam.   Substitutes:  sweet potatoes (drier, less sweet, and often more expens


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## aggies1ut (Mar 16, 2004)

MMm Japanese yams baked in the oven are the best.


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## aztecwolf (Mar 16, 2004)

i bake a couple sweet potatos at a time, around 45-60 minutes at about 390 degrees, and wrap em in tinfoil and put em in the fridge, then whenever i want one i pop in the micro for a minute and a half, cut it open, sprinkle on the cajun seasoning and eat it, holding it in my hand like you would a taco(sorry i'm a barbaric type eater), but damn is that good


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## JLB001 (Mar 16, 2004)

I usually put them in the micro.  cut them in half if they are big.  cover with a plastic bag with a few slits, nuke for 20 mins, check, if hard still, nuke some more.  When they are finally done, I let them cool some, then cut in half, get a large bowl, squeeze out the insides into the bowl, add splenda, vanilla, cinnamon and some butter buds.  Mix all together. Yam/Sweet potato souffle stuff.


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## aztecwolf (Mar 16, 2004)

i tried nukin mine but it came out real chalky,the setting i used was the baked potato setting on my micro, so i just decided that i would bake them in the oven and wrap em up for future use.  i do similar things with my oatmeal, i cook it the normal way(stove top) then i put it in a container, the next day i just warm it up in the micro and i am set to go, for some reason the texture doesnt taste to good to me when i nuke it to make it, plus when you put it in the fridge over night the spices that i use, such as the cinnamon and nutmeg really come out and it makes a very flavourfull oatmeal


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## Nuclear Blast (Mar 16, 2004)

Yeah, I hear ya...I just go for the quickest way possible.  Actually my wife showed me the microwave way.  I must say though, mine come out real good.  Maybe its my micro...who knows!


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## Jodi (Mar 16, 2004)

I can't eat them from the micro   They just don't taste right.  I prefer the oven but when I'm in a time crunch I chop it up and boil it.  Then I just mash it and add cinnamon and vanilla extract


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## Nuclear Blast (Mar 17, 2004)

Yeah, I hear ya.  I just got used to the micro I guess.  Hey, I've guzzled many a not so tasty protein shakein the past. If I can do that, then I guess I can eat a microwaved sweet potato.


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## Paynne (Mar 17, 2004)

Bah, it looks like I've been eating yams not sweet potatoes.  Thank God I read all this about pies and candied sweets on refeed day


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## Michael D (Mar 17, 2004)

We eat sweet potatos all the time.  I like mine with brown sugar and melted marshmallows.

So are the yams here usually just sweet potatos?


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## DFINEST (Mar 17, 2004)

They both taste darn good to me


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## Premo55 (Mar 17, 2004)

You know I've always wondered...if one cup of oats is 50g carbs, how large of a sweet potato should I be eating to equal that? I've never been able to find this info online.

Peace.


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## JLB001 (Mar 17, 2004)

http://www.global-fitness.com/foods/?partner=ghf

Type in Yams or sweet potato

4 oz is about 1/2c. cooked


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## jstar (Mar 21, 2004)

I am soooo confused!!!

The supermarkets around here dump them all into the same bin and post a sign: "sweet potatos/yams"  

They are all orange in the middle but some are long tubers and some are rounder....so is it wise to assume the long ones are yams and the rounder ones are sweet potatos?


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## JLB001 (Mar 21, 2004)

I dunno...I'm still    A can Craig bought says both.


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## Jill (Mar 21, 2004)

I always buy sweet potatoes-the cashiers always mistake them for yams-that ok cause yams are usually more expensive! Ive never eaten either of them as "sweet"-Ive only ever baked them like french fies and used "salt" type spices. I should try the sweet thing....


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## JLB001 (Mar 21, 2004)

How do you bake them like fries?  I've never tried that.  Would be nice for something new.


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