« One more try... | Main | Jos Jude »
November 26, 2004
Yams vs. Sweet Potatoes
Did you know...
You have probably never eaten a yam? Yes, yams are not generally grown in the United States. True yams are grown in some asian countries and Africa. The name comes from the African name Nyami which means "to eat," not surprising when the yam is a main staple over there.
Sweet potatoes are grown in the United States. The reason we still see both names in markets? There are different varieties of sweet potoatoes: the dark orange, sweet variety and the yellow, starchier, less sweet variety. They are still the same plant (scientific name: Ipomoea Batatas) while true yams are an entirely differnt plant (scientific name: Dioscorea Alata.). We originally called our two varieties by different names to make buying and selling them easier. The name yam was derived from the African "nyami." But now there is general confusion as to what is a yam and what is a sweet potato.
So the straight facts:
A yam is a plant that grows mainly in Africa and other tropic countries. Yams are not grown in the United States. Sweet potatoes are grown in the United States. There are several varieties of sweet potoato-- the more orange, sweet variety (commonly called yams to differentiate them from the other variety) and the yellow, less sweet variety.
Anyway, I thought this was interesting. I had heard about it a long time ago, but never really took the time to know the facts. Not that it's so important. In fact, whenever I tell people random, little-known facts like these, I usually sound stuck-up. I mean, who really cares whether they are eating a yam or a sweet potato? I don't even really like sweet potatoes.
I guess I just like knowing stuff. Or maybe it's fun to be right (which makes someone else wrong...) Heh Heh...
-Lib
Posted by libbystokes at November 26, 2004 10:48 AM