Sweet Potatoes vs Yams: Debunking the Myth

[ChefJesssica]

Is there a difference between sweet potatoes and yams? My mom and the woman at the grocery store say no, but my mother in law says yes.

If there is a difference, what is it?

Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving!

 

[jenniferlynne]

Oh my gosh!!! I just learned about this the other night on Food Network on Ham on the Street. Ok, most people and grocery stores call sweet potatoes yams. But really, a yam is a very long ugly looking brown thing that is white inside and has a very bland chalky taste. If it is orange and sweet, it is a sweet potato. People were taste testing the two, and almost everyone spit out the yam because they said it tasted like chalk. So, what you see in the stores are sweet potatoes labled incorrectly.

 

[apriljc]

I don't like yams or sweet potatoes so I don't know much about either one. I have heard that yams do tastle like chalk so right there just turned me off on them.

 

[ChefJesssica]

Graet Jennifer thanks for telling me. I am so glad we bought sweet potatoes then! So we are making candied sweet potatoes rather than candied yams for Thanksgiving. So, do they still taste like chalk when you make candied yams?

 

[PamperChefCarol]

I don't think that yams are readily available, at least I haven't seen them anywhere around here. I think, and I could be wrong, but I believe the yams are from Africa. Personally, I am not a sweet potato person, and I can't believe that I would like yams any better!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU AND YOURS!
that deserved a shout!!!

 

[Gina M]

I never liked sweet potatoes but then years ago my mom made them - heated up out of the can - with brown sugar and loads of marshmellows - and now I really like them. And sweet potato pie is awesome as well. Sometimes it's good to try foods again!

Gina Miller

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

I like spinach because I yam what I yam.

 

[ChefJesssica]

I like spinach because I yam what I yam.

I LOVE spinach! (As long as its not cooked) I have this hatred of most cooked vegtables. They seem so slippery and wiggly and rubbery to me. I hated most veggies until I grew up and realized that you don't have to cook them! I have a spinach salad almost every day for lunch. But its really not a salad because I don't add anything, I just put spinach in a bowl and eat it. I freaked out when they took all the spinach off the shelves a few months ago. I had to switch to romaine for a while! I also realized just recently how good brocoli is cold! I had NEVER had it uncooked. And I hated it cooked. Well, we bought sweet potatoes today and I have never had them (Isnt this so sad) Apparently they are better for you than regular potatoes. I hate regular potatoes, I wont eat them or anything made from them, so I will just find out about the sweet potatoes. My husband is making that marshmallow brown sugar thing from the sweet potatoes, I am kind of scared of it! Does it count as a dessert or a side? I don't like the idea of mixing vegtables and sugars together, too weird.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

That wasn't exactly what I expected from a groaner like that one, but since you mentioned it, veggies are usually better raw or just barely cooked. I like my broccoli and califlower steamed and cruncy, I hate overcooked (read: limp) green or wax beans, and peas are incredibly sweet and delicious right off the vine and out of the pod.If I ever get to have teeth again, I look forward to artichokes - you can starve to death while eating one but they're worth it!Sweet 'taters are wonderful and I kinda like the marshmallow casserole you're talking about - but I'd rather have 'em right out of the skin and served with butter! Yummy!

 

[ChefJesssica]

That wasn't exactly what I expected from a groaner like that one,

Are you calling me a groaner?

 

[ChefJesssica]

If I ever get to have teeth again, I look forward to artichokes - you can starve to death while eating one but they're worth it!

Sweet 'taters are wonderful and I kinda like the marshmallow casserole you're talking about - but I'd rather have 'em right out of the skin and served with butter! Yummy!

My husband had an artichoke tonight for dinner, its alwasy an event when he eats one. I am going to try a sweet potato tommorrow right out of the skin like you suggest!

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Our family bakes them with the turkey. (Obviously added much later in the process!) Cut them in half and you can run a butter knife around the meat, just inside the skin and most of the skin will peel away, but some of it will fight you.I just smash 'em down with my fork and slather 'em up with butter. Yammy! Er, I mean, Yummy!

 

[ChefJesssica]

Our family bakes them with the turkey. (Obviously added much later in the process!) Cut them in half and you can run a butter knife around the meat, just inside the skin and most of the skin will peel away, but some of it will fight you.

I just smash 'em down with my fork and slather 'em up with butter. Yammy! Er, I mean, Yummy!

Good idea! I will throw them in with the turkey tommorrow. This will be our third turkey this month (My husband likes to practice)

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

There's a really good one-liner in there about turkeys and husbands, but since it's Thanksgiving, I'll let it go.

 

[tlennhoff]

I like spinach because I yam what I yam.

Groan. I just knew you were going to say something like that.

 

[tlennhoff]

There's a really good one-liner in there about turkeys and husbands, but since it's Thanksgiving, I'll let it go.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

 

[ChefJesssica]

Groan. I just knew you were going to say something like that.

I GET IT NOW!!! The I yam what I yam thing is a groaner. I feel so stupid...

 

[ChefJesssica]

There's a really good one-liner in there about turkeys and husbands, but since it's Thanksgiving, I'll let it go.

Still don't get this one though....................

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

I'm glad you've groan accustomed to me.I yam what I yam 'cause that's all what I yam.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Still don't get this one though....................

Turkeys...husbands...

You must not be married.

 

[ChefJesssica]

Turkeys...husbands...

You must not be married.

I am married! But I just don't get it! Its too late! Are you saying that my husband is a turkey?

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

No - but most wives do at one time or another.

 

[ChefJesssica]

No - but most wives do at one time or another.

Mine is just too cute to be a turkey

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Awwwwww - newlyweds!

 

[mrssyvo]

I usually make candied sweet potatoes with marshmallows, but this year I tried something different. I made a sweet potatoe casserole, which is basically mashed sweet potatoes with butter and cream, brown sugar, and then baked with a topping on top of brown sugar, flour, butter and pecans. I cannot wait to taste them, they look so yummy. And of course, they are baked in my oval baker.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

That sounds pretty good! Let us know how they come out!

 

[Ginger428]

Groan. I just knew you were going to say something like that.

Groaning with you....

 

[janel kelly]

I make sweet potato casserole every year too- its alot like a dessert and so yummy. This year I bought sweet potatoes instead of yams and the sweet potatoes were white which surprised me. Then when I cooked them they turned green. It lookes like pureed zucchini but it was still delicious.

 

[nikked]

Please share

I usually make candied sweet potatoes with marshmallows, but this year I tried something different. I made a sweet potatoe casserole, which is basically mashed sweet potatoes with butter and cream, brown sugar, and then baked with a topping on top of brown sugar, flour, butter and pecans. I cannot wait to taste them, they look so yummy. And of course, they are baked in my oval baker.

This sounds like a favorite recipe of mine that I have been looking for and couldn't find...could you share it please (tomorrow would be fine).

Thanks!

 

[ChefJesssica]

Well, my husbadn made that sweet potatoe thing. It was crap! LOL Seriously it is just sitting in this weird liquid mess on the oven, I am just too lazy to throw it out!

 

[jrstephens]

I freaked out when they took all the spinach off the shelves a few months ago. I

I freaked out too b/c we make spinach artichoke dip almost every weekend! I never knew until then that spinach could casue such problems in my life, HA!!!

 

[lizcooks4u]

I never liked sweet potatoes but then years ago my mom made them - heated up out of the can - with brown sugar and loads of marshmellows - and now I really like them. And sweet potato pie is awesome as well. Sometimes it's good to try foods again!

Gina Miller

Same here, not crazy for both, but have had both fixed differently and love it now, they're usually healthier too.

I love Sweet Potatoe pie, when it's fixed right though. I had a co-worker in Cleveland, OH and tried it and fell in love with it, but never have had it so good since then

 

[PoseyMom]

sweet potato pie is heaven.... so much better than pumpkin. i wish *I* knew how to make it right.... its soooooooooooooooo good.

 

[PCJen]

Is there a difference between sweet potatoes and yams? My mom and the woman at the grocery store say no, but my mother in law says yes.

If there is a difference, what is it?

Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving!

This is what I found out while doing research on the difference between sweet potatoes and yams for my newsletter tip section.

Sweet Potato or a Yam?

Sweet Potatoes

There are two varieties of sweet potatoes: the popular orange flesh variety and the pale yellow flesh. The yellow flesh sweet potato is actually not sweet but has a taste and texture similar to white baking potatoes. Sweet potatoes have a smooth thin skin and have short, blocky tapered ends. They are very high in vitamins A and C. Grown in the USA.

Yams

Yams are similar in size of the sweet potato but the flesh is rough and scaly and have a long cylindrical ends with some "toes". Yams contain more natural sugar but have less vitamins A and C than sweet potatoes. Taste is more starchy. Yams are imported in from South and Central America.

Tips:

When buying sweet potatoes make sure it has sound, firm roots. Store in a dry unrefrigerated place at 55-60 degrees is best. Never put in the refrigerator because temps below 55 degrees will make the core hard and give an undesirable taste when cooked.

Before cooking scrub and cut off any bruised or woody portions.

Sweet potatoes can be baked, boiled, fried, caned, frozen and microwaved.