Probably not. Because most people don't. You are not alone :)
Here's the easiest explanation I have found by, Jennifer A. Wickes:
Most people get confused as to what is a sweet potato and what is a yam. In the United States, most people use both terminologies to refer to a sweet potato.
The sweet potato is found in tropical America and is a part of the Morning Glory family, while the yam is a tuber (a bulb) of a tropical vine found in Central & South America, as well as the West Indies, Africa and Asia.
Differences Between Sweet Potatoes and Yams
There are two main varieties of sweet potato. The pale sweet potato has a very thin yellow skin with a bright yellow flesh. This variety is neither sweet nor moist, but more the texture of a white baking potato. The darker skinned sweet potato has a thicker orange skin with a sweet moist flesh.
The true yam is not marketed or grown widely in the United States. It is sometimes found in Latin American markets. The flesh can range in color from off-white to yellow to pink to purple. The skin color can be from off-white to a dark brown.
Both the sweet potato and the yam are available fresh from October through March. When selecting a sweet potato, choose a medium sized variety with smooth unbruised skin. With yams, choose unblemished ones with unwrinkled skin.
I also like this article and this post on the great debate.
So now you and I both know....
what we commonly refer to a YAM is actually a SWEET POTATO!
So, make your Thanksgiving recipes with CONFIDENCE that you are using the right vegetable regardless of what the grocer marks it as!
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3 comments:
How did you know that was one of life's questions that drives me crazy! Now I am educated. Thanks!
I'm with your sis. I've been looking into this. MOSTLY because "they say" that a SWEET POTATO is THE healthiest vegetable--period. Which really surprised me when I heard it. I thought it would be a green of some sort. Knowing that it is the healthiest (and that regular potatoes are NOT that healthy--starch and carbs) I am obsessed with making sure I buy sweet potatoes (not yams, not regular). And I never know! So am I good to buy either yams or sweet potatoes? Since they're basically the same thing, right?
I haven't heard that the sweet potato is the healthiest vegetable. I'll have to look into it. I do know that Kale is an AMAZING vegetable for the body so keep those greens coming in. Lots of color on your plate is my rule!
Yes, in America what the grocery store usually refers to as a yam is actually a sweet potato. Look for a long tuber with dark-ish skin and sweet, orange flesh.
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