yams vs sweet potato

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nevadagrl
nevadagrl Posts: 4
in Food and Nutrition
Is there a difference in nutrition for those of us who are watching our weight ? My local grocery stores seem to mix them up sometimes.

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  • Scorpiomom222
    Scorpiomom222 Posts: 1,462 Member
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    I don't think so. They are really the same thing. I would buy the yams fresh and just boil them to soften them, so you can get them unprocessed. Hope that helps!
  • jrich1
    jrich1 Posts: 2,408 Member
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    Its just two names for the same thing
  • ♥_Ellybean_♥
    ♥_Ellybean_♥ Posts: 1,646 Member
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    they are the same... just one has the skin so it adds some nutritional value.. i've heard the skin is really good for you...

    I usually do fresh.. chop them up put a little bit of butter and cinnamon and bake them! YUM!

    Also someone just told me that Eating Yams well trying to get pregnant increases your chance of twins LOL
  • ChrissyM
    ChrissyM Posts: 23
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    Actually there is a difference between a yam and a sweet potatoe but I'm not sure if there is a nutritional difference.
  • nevadagrl
    nevadagrl Posts: 4
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    Thankyou for your answers ! I have discovered I like the yellow best.
  • missboriken
    missboriken Posts: 52 Member
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    Although they are different species, the yam and sweet potato are frequently confused owing to their similarity in taste and appearance. While both are renowned to be top-notch health foods, they offer diffferent health benefits and different culinary uses, and each vegetable yields its own completely unique nutritional profile.

    Sweet potatoes contain massive amounts of anti-inflammatory compounds, which are very important in the health of people with IBS, arthritis, gout, and other inflammation-related diseases. Yams, on the other hand, not only lack these anti-inflammatory nutrients, but actually contain a number of compounds that aggravate these conditions. However, their inflammation-causing tendencies are still less severe than many other foods.

    Nutrition value of Yams: http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2726/2
    Nutrition value of sweet potatoes: http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2667/2

    http://homecooking.about.com/od/howtocookvegetables/a/sweetpotatodiff.htm
  • LuckySue333
    LuckySue333 Posts: 109
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    Sweet potatotes are good... Yams are good. I dont think it matters they are similiar . Sometimes I get them in store and they taste better than they normally do. It could be the in season thing are else they mix yams with sweet potatoes not sure. Havent found this out. Sometimes they are brighter color than others to. And taste better...
  • naturebaby
    naturebaby Posts: 161
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    I think a sweet potato is more yellow and drier in texture and a yam is softer & more orange...unless I have it backasswards..I bake them like a potato and add a blop of lite sour cream.
  • abyt42
    abyt42 Posts: 1,358 Member
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    I think a sweet potato is more yellow and drier in texture and a yam is softer & more orange...unless I have it backasswards..I bake them like a potato and add a blop of lite sour cream.

    Absolutely: yams are orange. Sweet potatoes are yellow (like potatoes, only sweet)..... but I'm not correcting my granny when she brings out yams smothered in brown sugar and calls them sweet potatoes.
  • Jennyzfit
    Jennyzfit Posts: 175 Member
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    Yams are the ones with the orange flesh and orangish skin. Sweet potatoes have yellow flesh and yellowish skins. Yams are high in potassium and fiber. Not sure on the sweet potatoe but I imagine the fibre and potassium is there too. Just so you know. They both cook beautifully and are very good for you. Better than just having potato.
    Yams make a nice presentation when cooked as they are very colourfull. I had to response on this one.
    :wink:
  • Jennyzfit
    Jennyzfit Posts: 175 Member
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    Although they are different species, the yam and sweet potato are frequently confused owing to their similarity in taste and appearance. While both are renowned to be top-notch health foods, they offer diffferent health benefits and different culinary uses, and each vegetable yields its own completely unique nutritional profile.

    Sweet potatoes contain massive amounts of anti-inflammatory compounds, which are very important in the health of people with IBS, arthritis, gout, and other inflammation-related diseases. Yams, on the other hand, not only lack these anti-inflammatory nutrients, but actually contain a number of compounds that aggravate these conditions. However, their inflammation-causing tendencies are still less severe than many other foods.

    Nutrition value of Yams: http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2726/2
    Nutrition value of sweet potatoes: http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2667/2

    http://homecooking.about.com/od/howtocookvegetables/a/sweetpotatodiff.htm
  • islandnutshel
    islandnutshel Posts: 1,143 Member
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    Yammy Idea.
    (my husband thought mashed potatoes were manditory at every meal so I found a flavorfull substitute)
    Steam a head of cauliflower, and a yam, drain & mash them to together with LF sour cream or my favorite LF cream cheese. Hand mash is better then whipped I think and make sure to drain all the liquid because it is moist. I sometimes add sauted onion and garlic too.
    My husband claim he doesn't like cauliflower, but he loves this mash. I eased him into it my mixing in a potato at first now it is lighter without.
    Enjoy.

    I also did a sweet potato (yellow root) with mashed banana and it is yummy too. It tastes a little more like dessert so I am still working on it.

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