Know your root veg.
Simply Recipes / Photos by Lori Rice and Getty Images
Whats in a name?
William Shakespeare once wrote.
Simply Recipes / Photos by Lori Rice and Getty Images
Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet?
Its a valid point for sure… unless were talking about sweet potatoes.
Because one by its other namea yamis certainly not.
Simply Recipes / Lori Rice
If were being technically correct, were no longer talking about the same tuber anymore.
Those bright orange cuts in syrup in cans labeled yams in huge letters arent evenrelatedto realyams!
Chances are, most of us have never evenhadactual yamsjust different types ofsweet potatoes.
Simply Recipes / Photo by Getty Images
So, what are yams and what are sweet potatoes?
Lets get to the root of the matter.
Why Are Sweet Potatoes Also Called Yams in the United States?
Before the 1930s, sweet potatoes in the United States were called exactly what they are: sweet potatoes.
However, this verbiage has deeper roots than century-old marketing, withdirect ties to slavery.
Nutritionally, they have similar traits as well.
Neither have enough fat to warrant mention.
This is a reference to how they cook up.
North Carolina is the top producer of the orange sweet potatoes that are predominant in our markets.
In Malaysia and Singapore, what is referred to as a yam is actually taro.
In New Zealand, their yams are really oca, which isnt related to either yamsorsweet potatoes.
Their tremendous size capability can make them challenging to harvest, but not impossible.
Yams have to be sought out at specialty or international markets.
you’re able to also find yams dehydrated and labeled ashuai shanin Asian and Chinese markets.
The biggest and most important difference ishow they taste.
Overall, yams skew on the neutral side.
