Sweet Potato or Yam?

Is it a sweet potato or a yam? It can be a confusing question. Many times these terms are used interchangeably. However they are the roots of different plants. Here's a summary of the differences and why we get them confused.

Yam is the common name for some species in the genus Dioscorea, a family of perennial herbaceous vines which are grown in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Pacific Islands. These plants produce starchy tubers that can be cooked and eaten, much as a sweet potato can. Yams can grow several feet long and weigh over 100 lbs. Because they are so big, they are often cut up and sold in chunks. They have a rough skin which can be brown or pink in color. The flesh of the yam ranges in color from white or yellow to purple or pink.


Sweet potatoes belong to the Convolvulaceae family. There are over a thousand species belonging to this family and only one, batatas, is a crop plant which we eat. These plants are native to the tropical regions of South America where they were domesticated 5000 years ago. These plants are herbaceous, perennial vines with heart-shaped leaves. In the U.S. North Carolina is the leading state in sweet potato production.

As you can see sweet potatoes and yams are completely different. So why are the two names synonymous for U.S. shoppers? Well, here is what happened. In the U.S. firmer varieties of sweet potatoes were grown before the softer varieties. In the 1930's when farmers started producing the softer sweet potatoes, they needed to differentiate between the two. African slaves had already been calling the soft sweet potatoes "yams" because they resembled the yams they were used to eating in Africa. Thus, soft sweet potatoes were referred to as yams to distinguish them from the firm varieties. Yams are available in the U.S. at international markets and stores servicing Caribbean and Asian communities, however most the time when U.S. consumers purchase "yams" they are buying sweet potatoes.

Regardless of what you call them, they are delectable. Sweet potatoes are a highly nutritious, versatile vegetable. You can use them to make sweet confections like sweet potato pie, and candied sweet potatoes, or you can create savory dishes such as sweet potato and lintel soup, mashed sweet potatoes, or sweet potato chips. I would like to share one of my favorite sweet potato recipes. This recipe is easy, different, and everyone seems to like it.

Sweet Potatoes De Provence

Cut up two sweet potatoes into small chunks and place in a large bowl. Pour about three or four tablespoons of olive oil over the sweet potato pieces. Then, sprinkle about two or three tablespoons of herbs de Provence and salt and pepper (to taste) over the potatoes. Pour onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 450 degrees until soft and browned on the edges, about thirty five minutes.

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