Are Yams the Same as Sweet Potatoes? What to Know Before You Cook

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Are yams and sweet potatoes the same thing? No is the short answer. Yams and sweet potatoes are different vegetables, even though they are often mixed up in stores and recipes. 

They taste very different, grow in different places, and are from different plant families. Find out how to tell them apart, why they're different, and which is better for your health and cooking in this guide. Let's make this clear.

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Are Yams the Same as Sweet Potatoes?

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Yams and sweet potatoes are different, even though you can find them mixed up a lot in stores and in recipes. Even though these two vegetables look alike, they taste, feel, and come from very different places. When you buy something in the U.S. that says "yams," it's often really an orange sweet potato.

Understanding Botanical and Physical Differences

Sweet potatoes come from the morning glory family (Ipomoea batatas), while yams belong to a different plant family that includes lilies. They belong to different botanical families, Dioscoreaceae and Convolvulaceae, but are both flowering plants.

• Plant origin: Yams grow in West Africa, Asia, and other tropical places, while sweet potatoes are native to tropical regions of the Americas, including Central and South America.

• Appearance: The skin of a yam is rough and looks like bark. The flesh is pale yellow or purple. The skin on sweet potatoes is smoother, and the soft orange flesh.

• Texture and flavor: Yams are not sweet and are dry and starchy. They don't work well in desserts, unlike sweet potatoes.

• Size difference: They are easier to find in stores and aren't as big as true yams, which can grow to be several feet long.

Why These Two Are Commonly Confused in the U.S.

Due to marketing and cultural history, a lot of Americans call orange sweet potatoes "yams." This is not a scientific fact.

• African language roots: Africans who were slaves used the African word “nyami” for similar root vegetables they ate back home.

• Grocery store mix-ups: In the U.S., most "candied yams" are actually soft sweet potatoes with orange flesh in the middle.

• Same shelf, different plants: These two root vegetables look like they belong to the same species, but they don't.

Why Do Grocery Stores Call Sweet Potatoes Yams?

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It wasn't science that caused this confusion; it was survival, culture, and business. Stores have been calling sweet potatoes yams for decades, even though they are not the same thing.

Historical Mislabeling and Cultural Influence

People in the U.S. use the name "yam" for different vegetables, not because they are the same. This is because of cultural memory and adaptation.

• Cultural memory: In the southern United States, many people still called sweet potatoes "yams" even though they had heard that word for generations.

• Survival naming: This name comes from enslaved Africans who thought orange sweet potatoes looked like the African yams they knew.

• Visual confusion: Both are root tubers that get narrower at the ends, which makes things more confusing.

Marketing Tricks in the 20th Century

In the 1930s, farmers who grew sweet potatoes used smart advertising to make their goods stand out in a crowded market.

• Branding strategy: Sweet potato growers in Louisiana started labeling their new, soft sweet potatoes as “yams” to make them sound more interesting.

• Label laws: Under USDA labeling regulations, products labeled as 'yams' must also indicate 'sweet potatoes' when they are not true yams.

• Persistent confusion: Even now, orange sweet potatoes that come in cans marked "candied yams" are not really yams.

Should Diabetics Eat Yams or Sweet Potatoes?

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Yams and sweet potatoes are both good for you, but glycemic impact depends on variety and preparation; some sweet potatoes have lower glycemic indexes than others, and some yam varieties can be comparable. It's also important how you cook sweet potatoes because they can be bad for you in some ways.

Nutritional Comparison and Health Benefits

For a healthy diet, sweet potatoes are often suggested because they have more nutrients than yams.

• More nutrients: Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes are high in beta carotene and vitamin C, while certain purple yams contain high levels of anthocyanins, another powerful antioxidant.

• Better fiber: Fiber can help keep blood sugar in check when you eat sweet potatoes with the skin on.

• Special varieties: Purple-fleshed sweet potatoes have more antioxidants and help keep blood sugar levels healthy.

Best Cooking Tips for Diabetics

People with diabetes can eat sweet potatoes safely if they are cooked in a certain way.

• Boil instead of bake: There is less sugar in boiled sweet potatoes than in baked or fried ones.

• Smaller is smarter: To keep your portion sizes in check, pick firm sweet potatoes that are small to medium-sized.

• Balance your plate: To keep your blood sugar from rising too quickly, eat sweet potatoes with lean protein and vegetables that aren't high in starch.

Can You Substitute Yams for Sweet Potatoes?

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There are times when sweet potatoes and yams can't be used in the same way. Even though they look the same, they taste and feel different and have different amounts of moisture. These differences, especially when baking, can change how well a dish turns out.

Which Dishes Work for Swaps—And Which Don’t

You can use yams and sweet potatoes in some of the same ways, especially when making savory dishes. However, they don't work well in sweet or creamy recipes.

• Best for savory meals: Like in Latin American cooking, yams taste great in stews, soups, and dishes with lots of strong spices.

• Avoid sweets: Since yams are dry and starchy, they can't be used in recipes that call for moist or high-moisture ingredients, like pies or casseroles.

• Choose the right type: If you want soft potatoes that taste naturally sweet, choose varieties like Garnet or Jewel.

• Understand the plants: Yams and sweet potatoes are not from the same family (Dioscorea genus), so they taste and are used in different ways.

Texture and Flavor Differences That Affect Cooking Results

It depends on the dish you're making whether you should use yams or sweet potatoes. If you choose the wrong one, the recipe will taste and feel different.

• Sweet potatoes: They're sweeter and have a soft, moist texture. Great for making side dishes that you bake, mash, or roast.

• Yams: Earthy and starchy. It works better with hearty, traditional recipes or when you want a stronger bite.

• Cooking tip: Always choose sweet potatoes over yams if you want them to be soft and taste like caramel.

What FullyHealthy Offers for Sweet Potato Lovers?

FullyHealthy has some great sweet potato options that are clean and good for you. These items are made with real food and work with certain diets, like the AIP and Paleo.

Product Highlights: Sweet Potato Purée, Chips, and Quinoa Meal

Each item makes things easier without lowering the quality or taste.

• Sweet Potato Purée: The Farmer's Market brand is smooth and ready to use in both sweet and savory dishes.

• Avocado Oil Chips: Jackson’s chips are made from real sweet potatoes and don't have any seed oils in them. They are crunchy and tasty.

• Quinoa Meal: Wild Zora's lunch is easy and tasty: it has sweet potatoes, beef, and vegetables.

How These Products Fit Paleo, AIP, and Anti-Inflammatory Diets

Eating well and sticking to your health goals is easy with FullyHealthy.

• Simple ingredients: True, healthful food, no fillers.

• Diet-friendly: Good for people who follow the Paleo, AIP, or gluten-free diets.

• Easy browsing: Every item has a clear article view that lets you see what you're getting.

Final Thoughts

Yams and sweet potatoes are not the same in any way, even though they look alike. They taste, feel, and come from different places. They are not related to each other, so you can't always use them in place of each other in recipes. You can find both sweet potatoes and yams on the same shelf, but sweet potatoes are soft and sweet, and yams are dry and starchy. 

Which one to pick? Think about your favorite recipes, how you like to cook, and the taste you want. Different kinds of sweet potatoes are even tastier and better for you. Pick the right root for the job, even if it has the wrong label or looks brown on the outside. You can roast, mash, or bake it.

FAQs

Are sweet potatoes and yams the same crop?

No, they are two separate plants and not the same crop, even if stores mix them up.

Can you use yams in favorite recipes with sweet potatoes?

No. Many yam varieties are starchier and drier, making them less ideal for recipes requiring moist, sweet textures, though preparation methods can mitigate this.

Why are some sweet potatoes brown outside?

Some other varieties of sweet potatoes have a brown or reddish skin but orange or white flesh.

Do sweet potatoes and yams come in other varieties?

Yes, there are many other varieties of both sweet potatoes and yams grown worldwide.

Are favorite recipes better with sweet potatoes or yams?

Most people prefer sweet potatoes for their taste and softness in favorite recipes, not yams.