Whats The Difference Between Sweet Potatoes and Yams Before you reach for the candied yams this Thanksgiving, theres something you need to know. Theyre not actually yams All this time, many Americans have been making the mistake of calling sweet potatoes yams. But theres actually a difference. It turns out sweet potatoes and yams are not even related. They are two different species of root vegetable with very different backgrounds and uses. So why the confusion The U. S. government has perpetuated the error of labeling sweet potatoes yams. In most cases sweet potatoes are labeled with both terms, which just adds to the confusion. Since there are two types of sweet potatoes, one with creamy white flesh and one with orange, the USDA labels the orange fleshed ones yams to distinguish them from the paler variety. Ok, so that sort of makes sense. But why call the orange fleshed ones yams in the first place So to understand the difference between yams and sweet potatoes, we have to dig a little deeper tuber pun intended. Yams and sweet potatoes are often confused, but they vary markedly in terms of nutrition. Sweet potatoes Ipomoea batatas come in two main varieties here in the States. One has a golden skin with creamy white flesh and a crumbly texture. The other has a copper skin with an orange flesh that is sweet and soft. All sweet potato varieties generally have the same shape and size they are tapered at the ends and much smaller than the aforementioned yams. Americans have been calling the orange fleshed variety of sweet potatoes yams since colonial times when Africans saw familiarities in them to the tuberous variety. The USDA decided to label them as yams to differentiate the two varieties. Both varieties of sweet potato, including yams can be widely found in supermarket. Yams family Dioscoreaceae are native to Africa and Asia and other tropical regions. Yams are starchy tubers that have an almost black bark like skin and white, purple or reddish flesh and come in many varieties. The tubers can be as small as regular potatoes or grow upwards of five feet long. The word yam comes from an African word, which means to eat. The yam holds great importance as a foodstuff because it keeps for a long time in storage and is very valuable during the wet season, when food is scarce. For eating, yams are typically peeled, boiled and mashed or dried and ground into a powder that can be cooked into a porridge. Yams can be found in international markets, such as those that specialize in Caribbean foods. For more information on sweet potatoes, visit the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission. For more on the nutritional value of sweet potatoes vs. Livestrong. com. Want to read more from Huff. Post Taste Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Tumblr. So, the big question is What do you call sweet potatoesWhats the Difference Between Sweet Potatoes and Yams There are times when its important to memorize the distinction between two similar seeming items A home cook who uses baking soda instead of baking powder wont produce an award winning cake, and the dry aged steak lover who buys a wet aged steak will end up wondering why the meat tastes so funky. With yams and sweet potatoes, though, you cant go wrong Youre unlikely to ever encounter a yam at a grocery store, farmers market, or restaurant. Read on for the reason why and for what makes these two tubers so distinct. Sweet Potatoes vs. Yams. With exceptionally rare exceptions, every orange fleshed tuber you see or taste in the U. S. even those sold as candied yams is a sweet potato. Yams and sweet potatoes arent even botanical kin. Yams are dry, starchy root vegetables, closer in flavor to yucca than the sweet potatoes you bake with marshmallows or roast for a kale salad. They originated in Asia and Africa, which is how the confusion began. These hairy things are yams. When Southern farms started cultivating soft sweet potatoes, as opposed to firm sweet potatoes, for commercial sale, enslaved laborers assigned the new crop an African nickname. In parts of Africa, yams are known as nyami. The mix up was compounded in the 1. Because yams are typically only sold in specialty stores that serve African communities Africa produces 9. Nor are you likely to find many English language recipes for true yams. Behold the sweet tater. Taste the Difference. Sweet potatoes, native to the Americas, are another story. There is tremendous diversity in the sweet potato sector, and growers are constantly adding more heirloom varieties to the mix. You can find sugary sweet potatoes with snow white flesh, and purple fleshed sweet potatoes that taste like nuts. With hundreds of sweet potatoes to explore, finding the variety you like best is part of the fun. Still, there are a few varieties youre most likely to come across at the grocery store. The sweet potato that most Americans would classify as standard is a Covington, Beauregard, Garnet, or Jewel Its orange on the inside, mildly sweet and moist. Yams Vs Sweet Potatoes' title='Yams Vs Sweet Potatoes' />Do you know the difference between a yam and a sweet potato Most grocery stores offer two similarlooking tubers some labeled as yams, and some as sweet potatoes. Sweet Potato Nutrition. In certain nutritional categories, a sweet potato is possibly the best thing you could eat. Its beta carotene content is off the charts. Plus, a single medium sweet potato provides 9. A you need all day, and 3. Vitamin C allowance. Although it only contains 1. Even its carbohydrates are complex, which means a sweet potato doesnt produce the energy bursts and dips associated with white bread and potato chips. You should probably be eating a sweet potato right now. Sweet potatoes are actually fairly similar to white potatoes in terms of calories and carbs. But sweet potatoes have a slight edge on fiber and really shine on vitamins A and C. They also tend to be more expensive than white potatoes. Buying Sweet PotatoesFresh is typically a selling point when it comes to produce, but thats not the case with freshly dug sweet potatoes You want potatoes that have been cured in a warm, humid place for a few weeks they taste better, because starches convert to sugars during that time. Do Beets Go Bad. To find these, look for sweet potatoes that feel heavy for their size. Avoid bruises and soft spots dirt on the potato is fine. And dont automatically buy the biggest sweet potato in the basket, since very big sweet potatoes are often stringy. Storing Sweet Potatoes. Once the potato is in your own possession, store it in a dry, cool environment such as your basement. Do not put a sweet potato in the refrigerator that can change the way they taste. Correctly stored, a sweet potato ought to last one or two weeks. Preparing Sweet Potatoes. Anything you do with regular potatoes, you can do with sweet potatoes. Boiling sweet potatoes Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add peeled, cubed potatoes and cook until tender, 2. Try turning them into  mashed sweet potatoes. Baking sweet potatoes To bake them in the microwave, pierce with a fork and cook for 5 8 minutes, rotating once. To bake in the oven, Preheat oven to 4. F. Pierce sweet potato with a fork about 6 8 times and place on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake until tender, about 4. Try baking up some sweet potato fries. Roasting sweet potatoes Preheat oven to 4. F 2. 20 degrees C. Drizzle olive oil over chopped, peeled sweet potatoes pour into a shallow roasting pan. Roast, turning frequently, until soft and golden brown, 3. Try this recipe Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes. Eat them raw Sweet potatoes can even be eaten raw Try grating them over a salad for a colorful garnish. And just like white potatoes, sweet potatoes are edible inside and out its fine to eat the skin. The only prep thats required for all sweet potato recipes is a good scrub. As Chef Johns recipe proves, sweet potato casserole doesnt have to be cloying.