The main reason you can't substitute sweet potatoes for yams, or vice versa, is because the two root vegetables taste entirely differently and have very different nutritional compositions. A yam is starchy and dry, but a sweet potato is, as the name suggests, sweet and moister.
What can you substitute sweet potatoes with?
19 Best Sweet Potato Substitutes (Healthy & Taste Great)Garnet potatoes (The closest substitute in both taste and texture)Jewel potatoes.Japanese Sweet Potatoes (Healthiest alternative)Yukon gold potatoes.White Potatoes (Budget-friendly and widely available)Carrots.Golden Beets.Parsnips (Best to eat after winter)19 Best Sweet Potato Substitutes (Healthy & Taste Great)
Do yams taste like sweet potatoes?
What Do Yams Taste Like? Compared to sweet potatoes, yams have an earthy, neutral taste. They can be mildly sweet but mostly take on the flavor of the seasonings used in the dish. Yams must be cooked before eating because they are toxic when eaten raw.
Is there a difference between yams and sweet potatoes?
Yams are starchy and have a rough, brown exterior. They can grow up to 45 feet long and are eaten in parts of Latin America, West Africa, the Caribbean, and Asia. Sweet potatoes are a New World root vegetable, have a softer, reddish skin, a creamier interior, and often, a darker interior.
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