Okay, a little too much poetic license was taken in the title but I have to take up this discussion about yams vs. sweet potato as it was brought up on two occasions at the co-op last week while I was present. I decided to do some research because I was not really very clear on the difference as being something like all yams are sweet potatoes but all sweet potatoes are not yams and where they grow best or don’t grow at all.
As a nutritionist I have always recommended sweet potatoes as one on the most nutrient dense and delicious yet low calorie foods you can eat. They are packed with fat-soluble vitamin A and compared to yams, sweet potatoes contain significantly higher amounts of calcium, iron, and vitamin E, and twice as much protein per serving. However the yams come out the winner in the fatty acid category. Sweet potatoes contain less omega-3 fats than yams, and have nearly twice as many omega-6 fats, which are known to inhibit the body's ability to make use of the omega-3's..
However, those of you who suffer from arthritis, gout or IBS should take note that the sweet potato wins as it is packed with anti-inflammatory compounds. Yams can actually aggravate these conditions.
Both are low on the glycemic scale (16-17) and offer benefits for diabetics.
What about the botanical differences of the yam vs. the sweet potato?
Apparently the yam encompasses a very large variety of species and the sweet potato is only distantly related and is actually a member of the morning glory family. Other botanists say they are not related at all and that the yam is from the tuber of a tropical vine, Dioscorea batatas. The yam is popular in South America, Africa and the Caribbean while the sweet potato is the North American choice and grows well throughout the United States.
So are we all happy with this explanation? Let me know!
