Sweetpotatoes are almost always sweeter than yams. They have versatile flavor easily altered by cooking methods. Starchier and more potato-like, usually not very sweet.
Can you substitute yams for sweet potatoes?
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.
Why do people confuse yams and sweet potatoes?
The mix-up between yams and sweet potatoes originated from the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. Yams are an important part of West African food traditions. European slave traders steered their ships across the Middle Passage, they packed yams, along with black-eyed peas, to feed their captives.
Does sweet potatoes taste like yams?
Are Yams and Sweet Potatoes the Same? No, yams and sweet potatoes are not the same. Yams have rough, dark brown skin that is often compared to tree bark, and their flesh is dry and starchy like a regular potato. Sweet potatoes have smooth reddish skin, softer flesh (when cooked), and a sweet flavor.
Why do yams and sweet potatoes taste the same?
While yams and sweet potatoes are the same in their application, they differ in taste, texture, and appearance. Sweet potatoes live up to the 'sweet' in their name, while yams are more earthy and neutral. Yams have a lot of the same starchiness as traditional potatoes, while sweet potatoes can be softer and gooier.
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