++++ A few years back, some nutrition enthusiasts decided to figure out whether white or sweet potatoes were “healthier”. Sweet potatoes, also known by the scientific name Ipomoea batatas, are starchy root vegetables. In other words, determining which is healthier really comes down to what nutritional content is desired, as well as how the sweet potato or yam is cooked. As a staple on the Thanksgiving table, it’s most often served as a sweet potato casserole with marshmallows or sugar or made into a sweet potato pie. Chan School of Public Health. They are long and tapered with a smooth skin that can vary in color, ranging from yellow, orange, red, brown or purple to beige. It can also be used similarly to instant mashed potatoes. Sweet potato nutrition. However, certain varieties store better than others. While sweet potatoes can safely be eaten raw, certain types of yams are only safe to eat when cooked. A food has a low GI if it causes blood sugars to rise slowly, whereas a high GI food causes blood sugars to rise quickly. Yams can be bought in a number of forms, including whole, powder or flour and as a supplement. The recommended daily intake of fiber is 30 to 38 grams for men and 21 to 25 grams for women. Here are 8 tasty fish…, Pickle juice is a natural remedy often recommended to help combat hangover symptoms, but you may wonder whether it really works. There are two main types of sweet potatoes: Compared to golden-skinned sweet potatoes, these are softer and sweeter with a darker, copper-brown skin and bright orange flesh. Instead of a list format of yams nutritional value, we’ll discuss the differences between the yam and the sweet potato. A raw sweet potato contains water (77%), carbohydrates (20.1%), protein (1.6%), fiber (3%) and almost no fat (4). Not to mention, they can weigh up to an impressive 132 pounds (60 kgs) (2). 0.06mg vs 0.025mg; 177.25x more vitamin A (RAE) per 100g? Many people believe that regular potatoes are not nearly as good for you healthwise as sweet potatoes, but there are some comparable nutritional values that make them somewhat equal. Consider cooking or preparing the yams and sweet potatoes with olive oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil for a healthy intake of fats in your diet. Peeling and cooking yams thoroughly will remove any harmful substances (19). While both are underground tuber vegetables, they are actually very different. Fiber is abundant in both vegetables as well, with yams supplying 6 grams and sweet potatoes 4 grams. Boiling, rather than baking, frying or roasting, is linked to a lower GI (9). Sweet potatoes differ from other potato varieties in appearance, taste, and nutrition. Mayo is a popular condiment for sandwiches and often used as a base for salad dressings and sauces. Why is Sweet Potato better than Taro? 709µg vs 4µg; 186.67x more vitamin A (IU) per 100g? These vegetables both provide key nutrients, but one is a root and the other is a tuber. This article tells you whether you can eat sunflower seed shells. However, animal proteins are considered to be the highest-quality protein sources. Sweet potatoes offer more nutrition than yams, but both are nutrient-dense. The term “yam” is now more of a marketing term for producers to distinguish between the two types of sweet potatoes. To help you compare the overall nutritional value of carrots and sweet potatoes, we put together a handy nutrition facts chart that provides an overview of some of the key nutrients found in these two root vegetables. Sweet potato has more beta-carotene than russet potato. 1.57g vs 1.5g; 2.44x more riboflavin per 100g? When comparing sweet potatoes to real yams, there are more significant differences. Sweet potato nutrition includes high vitamin A content. However, a true yam is a starchy, edible tuber, generally with a drier taste than a sweet potato. Both vegetables are good sources of vitamin C, vitamin B6, thiamine and pantothenic acid. This is because it reminded them of true yams, a food staple they knew in Africa. This article explains the key differences between sweet potatoes and yams. Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the LIVESTRONG.COM There are a ton of different kinds of sweet potatoes from Beauregard to Regal, but it’s hard to find most of them in the store. Hands down, sweet potatoes win over yams in the nutritional department. However, sweet potatoes have a superior nutritional profile due to their higher content of vitamin A (in the form of carotenoids), vitamin B5, vitamin B6, copper, and manganese. Sweet potatoes tend to be more readily available and are nutritionally superior to yams — albeit only slightly. Leaf Group Ltd. Certain types of sweet potatoes, especially purple varieties, are thought to be the highest in antioxidants — much higher than many other fruits and vegetables (13). In order to set it apart from paler-skinned sweet potatoes, producers labeled them “yams.”. Both sweet potatoes and yams can be boiled, steamed, roasted, mashed, and fried. It can also be puréed and used in soups and desserts. Sweet potato has more pantothenic acid. Their scientific name is Dioscorea, and they originate in Africa and Asia. Sweet potatoes are a great source of highly available beta-carotene, which has the ability to increase your vitamin A levels. This article reviews vervain’s benefits, uses, and…, Oak bark can be dried and ground into a powder for topical and oral use, and it has been used for medicinal purposes throughout history. It is easy to assume that sweet potatoes and potatoes are different types of the same vegetable. Fiber, although not digestible, improves your gastrointestinal health and helps to control blood sugar levels, according to Harvard T.H. This article examines the evidence for and against eating soy. The material appearing on LIVESTRONG.COM is for educational use only. Despite its popularity, soy remains a controversial food. She holds a sports medicine and human performance certificate from the University of Washington, as well as a Bachelor of Science in animal sciences from Purdue University. It tends to have a drier texture and is less sweet than dark-skinned sweet potatoes. However, sweet potatoes are a very distinctive-looking tuber. Valerie on September 07, 2012: https://www.allrecipes.com/article/whats-difference-sweet-potatoes-yams Yams, in comparison to sweet potatoes, are less sweet and moist, and more similar to the yucca plant in both flavor and texture. It can be used to make a dough that is served as a side with stews or casseroles. Surprisingly, sweet potatoes are only remotely related to potatoes. Both sweet potatoes and yams are very versatile. For example, sweet potatoes have fairly high levels of oxalates. , A 1 cup serving of sweet potato supplies 1840 micrograms of this vitamin while the same amount of yams only supplies 8 micrograms. They tend to be fluffy and moist and are commonly found in the US. ", USDA FoodData Central: "Sweet Potato, Frozen, Cooked, Baked, Without Salt", USDA FoodData Central: "Yam, Cooked, Boiled, Drained, or Baked, With Salt", PARTNER & LICENSEE OF THE LIVESTRONG FOUNDATION. 77.28g vs 70.64g; 4.67% more proteins per 100g? Yams versus sweet potatoes are botanically distinct, although the terms are often used interchangeably. In fact, one 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of sweet potato will supply you with almost all of your daily recommended amount of vitamin A, which is important for normal vision and the immune system (4). 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