Sweet Potato vs Yams

Sweet Potato vs Yamsの注目されている理由を丁寧にまとめました。全体像を一目で把握できます。

So how did this mix-up happen? It’s a juicy bit of food history. Back in the early 20th century, farmers in the American South were growing a specific variety of soft sweet potato with orange flesh. It was moist, sugary, and absolutely perfect for those marshmallow casseroles.

But they needed a way to tell it apart from the firm, dry, white-fleshed sweet potatoes that were already on the market. A marketing genius looked at the African word "nyami" (which means "to eat"), squinted, and said, "Let’s call it a yam!" And just like that, an identity thief was born.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture even officially sanctioned the lie. To this day, they require that anything labeled a "yam" in a can or at the grocery store must also say "sweet potato" in small print. It’s the produce equivalent of a coffee cup that says "This is definitely not a coffee cup."

8 Ways To Tell The Difference Between Sweet Potatoes And Yams – YLRDTO

How to Tell Them Apart (Without a DNA Test)

If you walk into a normal supermarket in North America, everything in the bin labeled "Yams" is a sweet potato. End of story. But if you find yourself in an international market or a specialty store, here’s your cheat sheet:

Sweet potatoes have smooth, thin skin that you can peel with your bare hands if you’re feeling aggressive. They’re shaped like a torpedo that went to yoga. The real yam has skin so thick and rough it looks like it was attacked by a angry broom. It’s also straight as a ruler and can be as long as your arm.

Cut one open and the difference screams at you. A sweet potato’s flesh is moist and bright orange (or purple, or white). A yam’s flesh is dry, starchy, and white or pale yellow. It’s basically a potato that gave up on life and moved to the tropics.