Sweet potatoes..help needed!

[Taleigh21]

Ok first of all, are sweet potatoes really just Yams? Cause I bought yams to try them out, and they are red in color/orange.

1. Why eat them, why do most BB's eat them??
2. What is the best way to prepare them?

I have seen lots of people with sweet potatoes as part of their diet, so I decided to try them.

Ideas, suggestions about them appreciated.
thnx.
T.

[Puddles]

They're a nutrient rich source of carbs. I just bake them in the oven like you would a regular white potato and eat it plain. They also help satisfy my desire for a sweet desert in place of cake or pie.

Here's some info.:

Sweet potato vs yam

It seems that most people get confused as to what is a sweet potato and what is a yam! In fact, in the United States, most people use both terminologies to refer to a sweet potato, when neither of these two vegetables is related!

The sweet potato is found in tropical America and is a part of the Morning Glory family.

The yam is a tuber (a bulb) of a tropical vine found in Central & South America, as well as the West Indies, Africa and Asia.

Varieties There are mainly two varieties of sweet potato. The pale sweet potato has a very thin yellow skin with a bright yellow flesh. This variety is neither sweet nor moist, but more the texture of a white baking potato. The darker skinned sweet potato has a thicker orange skin with a sweet moist flesh.

The true yam is not marketed or grown widely in the United States. Where it is marketed, is usually in Latin American markets. A yam can be as small as a potato and can grow as large as 7 feet and weigh over 120 pounds! The flesh can range in color from off-white to yellow to pink to purple! The skin color can be from off-white to a dark brown.

Season Both the sweet potato and the yam are available fresh from October through March.

How to Select When trying to choose a sweet potato, choose a medium sized variety with smooth unbruised skin.

You will want to choose an unblemished yam with unwrinkled skin.

Storage Store your sweet potatoes in a dry, dark 55 degree F (12 – 13 degrees C) area for approximately a month. Otherwise, use your sweet potato within the week. Never place a sweet potato in the refrigerator.

Store your yam in a cool, dark, dry place up to 2 weeks. Never place your yam in the refrigerator.

Nutritional Qualities Sweet potatoes have high Vitamins A and C.

Yams have higher sugar content.

Wine Pairings Depending on what you are serving with your yams or sweet potatoes and as to how you are preparing it, try a Chardonnay, a Fume Blanc, a French Colombard or a Syrah.

Spices Brown sugar, butter, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, ginger, lemon juice, lemon peel, mace, marjoram, nutmeg, orange juice, orange peel, poppy seed, sage, savory, thyme.

Equivalencies 1 pound fresh = 3 medium = 3 1/2 - 4 cups cooked and chopped

Preparation A sweet potato can be prepared like a potato: baked, boiled, sautéed, steamed, microwaved, or fried.

A yam can be prepared like a sweet potato!

[Taleigh21]

K well now I dont know if I bought a Yam or a Sweet Potatoe. It said YAMS at the store, but I asked a lady if they were sweet potatoes and she said yeS! uhhh.. they kinda look like roots that are shaped like white potatoes but bigger, fatter and have pointier ends.

[Puddles]

Probably a sweet potato...I think the US and Canada eat the same ones. For some reason, imports of yams are forbidden in the US.

Here's some more info:

As a main dish or prepared as a dessert, the sweet potato is a nutritious and economical food. One baked sweet potato (3 1/2 ounce serving) provides over 8,800 IU of vitamin A or about twice the recommended daily allowance, yet it contains only 141 calories making it valuable for the weight watcher. This nutritious vegetable provides 42 percent of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamin C, 6 percent of the RDA for calcium, 10 percent of the RDA for iron, and 8 percent of the RDA for thiamine for healthy adults. It is low in sodium and is a good source of fiber and other important vitamins and minerals. A complex carbohydrate food source, it provides beta carotene which may be a factor in reducing the risk of certain cancers.

For the most food value, choose sweet potatoes of a deep orange color.

When buying sweet potatoes, select sound, firm roots. Handle them carefully to prevent bruising. Storage in a dry, unrefrigerated bin kept at 55-60 degrees F. is best. DO NOT REFRIGERATE, because temperatures below 55 degrees F. will chill this tropical vegetable giving it a hard core and an undesirable taste when cooked.

[Taleigh21]

Cool Thanks!