YAMS AND SWEET POTATOES ARE NOT THE SAME (WHICH IS BEST)

Difference Between Yams and Sweet Potatoes

• A yam comes from either Africa or Asia and sometimes from the Caribbean. They're one of the world’s most consumed foods and have been grown for over 50,000 years.

Sweet potatoes are grown in the United States.

• Yams can grow as long as five feet, but most are the same size and shape as a normal potato.

Sweet potatoes are the size of potatoes, though they may be a bit longer with tapered ends.

• Yams have skin that is hairy or scaly like bark, and it is either black or brown. 

Sweet potatoes have skin that can be brown, purple, red, white, or yellow.

• The flesh of a yam is usually white, purple or a red color.

Sweet potatoes can have flesh that is white, yellow or a range of orange shades.

Yams are drier than sweet potatoes. They also have more starch.

I should make it clear that sweet potatoes are a great choice but my point here is that too many people think they're eating yams when they're really eating sweet potatoes.

Most chain grocery stores don’t sell them, though their signs say that they do. Grocery stores use a lot of tricks like this.

In most cases, the items that grocery stores sell as yams are actually soft sweet potatoes that have deep orange skin and flesh.

Health Benefits of Yams

Yams are:

• an excellent source of energy since they're a complex carb with a low glycemic index.
• a great source of soluble fiber and B complex vitamins.
• high in Vitamin C and contain lots of antioxidants and minerals, including potassium, copper and iron.

They've been used as a traditional medicine for hundreds of years, in large part because they contain allantoin, which is known to heal skin diseases.

Allantoin is also used to treat respiratory issues like coughs and bronchitis.

Surprisingly, yams are also known to be a beauty product!

They're a well-known anti-aging remedy that fights wrinkles, protects from the sun’s rays and stimulates the production of collagen.

• Some people boil yam flesh and then mash it with a teaspoon of honey to make a facial mask. Since it's hard to find yams, I make a mask out of chocolate instead.
• Others use slices of yam and lay them on their eyes to relieve stress and remove dark circles. 
• Yam are also high in vitamin A, which can stimulate hair growth and hydrate the scalp.
• Yams can be prepared in many ways, but most people believe that they taste best and maintain the most health benefits when they are roasted.

Yours in Health!

Eve :-)