We've all been there—standing in the super market wondering if that can of candied yams is actually yams or if it’s just candied sweet potato. Or, if those sweet potatoes piled up in the produce section might happen to be yams. The whole thing is a bit confusing if you ask us! In fact, it makes planning your Thanksgiving dinner just a little more stressful—and that’s something we definitely don't need! So, to make your holiday food shopping easier we’re breaking down the difference between yams and sweet potatoes.
If you thought that yams and sweet potatoes were the same thing all along, think again! The two are actually entirely different vegetables. True, they're both root veggies, but you won't find yams on our list of types of potatoes. The truth is that an actual yam looks and tastes quite different than sweet potatoes. So, what's all the confusion about? Many supermarkets will refer to yams and sweet potatoes interchangeably (and incorrectly label them), leading to years of wondering what exactly is the difference between yams versus sweet potatoes. Well, read on for everything you need to know!
What is a sweet potato?
A sweet potato is a a root tuber native to Central and South America. Sweet potatoes come in a few varieties and be orange, purple, or even white in flesh. The most common type of sweet potato has bright orange flesh with smooth, rosy brown skin. Sweet potatoes are pretty common in the United States, and are used in many sweet and savory preparations like sweet potato casserole with marshmallow, air-fryer sweet potato fries, beef curry with sweet potato noodles, and Ree Drummond's family favorite Sweet Soul Taters (a yummy sweet potato casserole topped with mounds of brown sugar and pecans).
What is a yam?
Yams are also a root tuber, but not the same one as a sweet potato! They are cylindrical in shape and have white flesh and dark brown skin that is more bark-like in appearance. The flesh is drier and less creamy than a sweet potato when cooked—more similar to a russet potato. Yams come in many varieties and originated in parts of Asia, Africa and the Caribbean. They can grow very large in size—up to 100 pounds and a few feet long! They're are usually prepared boiled or roasted, similar to sweet potatoes.
What is the difference between sweet potatoes and yams?
Now that you know a little more about sweet potatoes and yams, it’s easy to see that they’re actually two different vegetables! They look different, they taste different, and they grow differently, too. They might just have more differences than they do similarities!
The Pioneer Woman Frontier Collection 2-Piece Vegetable Peeler Set
The Pioneer Woman Frontier Collection 2-Piece Vegetable Peeler Set
While both yams and sweet potatoes are root vegetables, the taste of each is entirely unique. The orange-fleshed sweet potatoes tend to be much sweeter and creamier in texture compared to yams which have a white flesh that's starchier and more similar to a white potato. If you’re able to find true yams in your supermarket, they can be prepared just like your favorite potato recipes—boiled, roasted, baked, or fried. But if sweet, candied recipes are what you’re after, you probably want to stick to using sweet potatoes.
Is a yam healthier than a sweet potato?
Both sweet potatoes and yams are nutritious, albeit completely different vegetables. They are both good to eat as a part of a healthy diet and neither is particularly nutritiously superior to the other. That being said, sweet potatoes contain more vitamin C, vitamin A, fiber, and protein.
