What is the difference between yams and sweet potatoes?

Question

Just the name or is something really different?

Answer 1

"Ninety percent of what you see in the stores marked "yams" is actually a variety of sweet potato. The true yam is a tuber that can get as large as 100 pounds and grows primarily in the tropical zones of Africa. The potato with the sweet orange-red flesh that grows in the American South was dubbed a yam by African slaves, and the name stuck."

Answer 2

Yams' thick, tropical-vine tuber is popular in South and Central America, the West Indies and parts of Asia and Africa. Although sweet potaotes and yams are similar in many ways and therefore often confused with one another, they are from different plant species. In the southern United States, sweet potatoes are often called yams and to add to the confusion, canned sweet potatoes are frequently labeled yams. True yams, however, are not widely marketed and are seldom grown in the United States. Though they can be similar in size and shape to sweet potatoes, yams contain more natural sugar and have a higher moisture content. On the downside, they're not as rich in vitamins A and C as sweet potatoes. There are over 150 species of yam grown throughout the world. They can range in size from that of a small potato to behemoths over 7 1/2 feet long and 120 pounds. Depending on the variety, a yam's flesh may be various shades of off-white, yellow, purple or pink, and the skin from off-white to dark brown. The texture of this vegetable can range from moist and tender to coarse, dry and mealy. Yams can be found in most Latin American markets, often in chunks, sold by weight.

Answer 3

I'm pretty sure that it's this: sweet potatoes are yellowish and dryer and more fiberous than yams. Yams are smoother and dark orange. This is the inside color. The outside looks a lot the same and it takes a few times of buying the wrong ones to finally start to notice which is which. They are similar in taste, but the yams are a bit richer in flavor and since deeper in color, probably better for you, although both are better for you than your standard spud. Try them both, you may find you like them both the same. I prefer the yams because I like the smoother texture.

Answer 4

They are two different things, but unless you know exactly what it is you are buying, you are probably getting sweet potatoes. At the local grocery store, I swear it depends on which clerk does up the signs. Some weeks it says yams, other weeks it's sweet potatoes, and it's always the same product!

Answer 5

Yam is the common name for some species in the genus Dioscorea (family Dioscoreaceae). They are cultivated for the consumption of their starchy tubers in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Oceania. They are used in a similar fashion to potatoes and sweet potatoes. There are hundreds of cultivars among the cultivated species.

The sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), often called a yam in the United States, is a crop plant whose large, starchy, sweet tasting tuberous roots are an important root vegetable. The young leaves and shoots are sometimes eaten as greens. The sweet potato is only distantly related to the potato (Solanum tuberosum). They are even more distantly related to the true yam (Dioscorea species).

Answer 6

Yams - A tropical vine tuber that is found in south and central america. They look very similar to that of a sweet potato.

Sweet potato - A large edible root of the morning glory familly and is found in the tropical areas of the americas.

They taste completely different.

Answer 7

I think I am a sweet potato therefore I Yam.

Answer 8

They are totally different roots.....Yam have these layers and dark in looks...and when you cut, you get the milky sticky feel....they have purple dots and they taste a little griddy...

Sweet potatoes are orange in color inside and they have smooth skins and they are skin color on the outside....

picture of yam

latter one is sweet potato

Answer 9

Sweet potato is sweet taste and yams you have the option to make it at your way. I love yams!!!!!!!!

Answer 10

sweet potatoes are used in desserts like custards and puddins.

yams are used in salty dishes.
a nice recipe with yams is:
boil the yams untill they r really soft. then peel and dice them.
put the diced yams in a bowl. cover with lemon juice, salt, red chilli powder, khattai powder( available in indian grocery stores.), and chat masala (available in indian grocery stores)
its really good, specially if u r a spice lover.