yam plant and odorous potatoes may often be bedevil or used interchangeably , but they are in reality two decided plants that belong to to dissimilar plant family line . lease ’s turn over into the details to interpret their differences .

1 . Plant Families : yam belong to the Dioscoreaceae family , while angelical potatoes belong to the Convolvulaceae family . These families are not closely related and have distinct characteristics .

2 . Origins and Geographic Distribution : Yams originated in Africa and Asia , while sweet potatoes are native to Central and South America . Yams have been cultivated for thousand of years and are a staple food in many tropical region , while sweet potatoes have also been cultivated for one C and are now consume globally .

3 . Botanical difference : yam plant and sweet potato differ in their botanic characteristic . yam have jolty , scaly pelt that is often black in color , lay out from browned to black . They have a cylindrical shape and can grow quite bombastic , some reaching several animal foot in length . On the other hand , sweet potatoes have smoother skin that can vary in color from white , yellow , orangish , to purpurate . They have a tapered , elongated shape and are usually smaller compare to yam .

4 . nutritionary Variations : Yams and sweet potatoes also take issue in their nutritional composition . Yams are high in calories and saccharide , while sweet-scented potatoes are lower in large calorie and contain more fiber . Yams are also a good beginning of vitamin C and potassium . cherubic potatoes are rich in genus Beta - provitamin A , which is convert to vitamin A in the body , along with vitamin degree centigrade and potassium .

5 . Culinary Uses : Yams and sweet Irish potato have unlike texture and flavors when cooked . Yams be given to be stiff and drier , while honeyed potatoes are moist and have a sweeter taste . Due to their contrasting characteristic , they are used otherwise in various cuisine . Yams are often used in savory dish , such as stews and curry , while sweet-scented potatoes are commonly used in both sweet and savory looker , including pies , kid , and casserole .

6 . Market Confusion : In some region , the condition “ yam ” and “ seraphic potato ” are used interchangeably , leading to disarray . This is particularly common in North America , where orange - flesh sweet potatoes are sometimes labeled as “ yams . ” This mislabeling can be attributed to historic reason when African slave in the United States refer to sweet white potato as “ nyami ” or “ yam ” due to their resemblance to the yam they were conversant with from Africa . However , true yam are not commonly uncommitted in most supermarket in North America .

yam and sweet potatoes are distinct plant belong to to different plant class . They differ in their origin , botanic feature , nutritional paper , culinary utilisation , and securities industry labeling . Understanding these differences can help in selecting the proper constituent for specific recipes and appreciate the multifariousness of these delicious starchy veg .

Caroline Bates