Where Did The Word Yam Come From?

The word yam is ultimately derived, via Portuguese or Spanish, from a West African language called Wolof, from the word nyam, meaning “to sample” or “taste.” Similar words for yam in other African languages derive from words meaning “to eat” and “to chew.”

Why is a yam called a yam?

It seems that American slaves referred to the soft orange-fleshed sweet potatoes as “yams” because of their similarity to the true yams they knew from Africa. Growers began using this name to distinguish them from the firm white-fleshed varieties of sweet potatoes, and the name stuck.

Is yam an African word?

The word yam comes from the African words “njam”, “nyami, or “djambi”, meaning “to eat”.

What language did yam come from?

The name “yam” appears to derive from Portuguese inhame or Canarian (Spain) ñame, which derived from West African languages during trade. However in both languages, this name commonly refers to the taro plant (Colocasia esculenta) from the genus Colocasia, as opposed to Dioscorea.

What does the term yam refer to?

1 : the edible starchy tuberous root of various plants (genus Dioscorea of the family Dioscoreaceae) used as a staple food in tropical areas also : a plant producing yams. 2 : a moist usually orange-fleshed sweet potato.

Is there a difference between a yam and a sweet potato?

The skin of a yam (left) looks kind of like tree bark, while a sweet potato (right) is more reddish-brown. Real yams are entirely different root vegetables that are more like yucca in texture and flavor. They have bumpy, tough brown skin (that looks almost tree trunk-like) with starchy, not sweet flesh.

Is a sweet potato and a yam the same thing?

That sweet, orange-colored root vegetable that you love so dearly is actually a sweetpotato. Yes, all so-called “yams” are in fact sweetpotatoes. Most people think that long, red-skinned sweetpotatoes are yams, but they really are just one of many varieties of sweetpotatoes.

Who brought yam to Africa?

After having been brought into cultivation, this species of yam was carried by man far out into the Pacific by the Polynesian migration, which probably originated in southern China and Indochina about 3500 B.P. (Suggs 1960), and later, around 2000 B.P. or more recently, to Madagascar and the East African littoral.

Is yams a Southern word?

Yams are native to parts of Asia and Africa. And sweet potatoes are native to Central and South American and the American tropics.

What is Nigerian yam?

Yam is in the class of roots and tubers that is a staple of the Nigerian and West African diet, which provides some 200 calories of energy per capital daily. In Nigeria, in many yam-producing areas, it is said that “yam is food and food is yam”.

What is a yam called in UK?

The American yam is not commonly found in the UK, yet the term is often used in the US to refer to what the British call a sweet potato; the Brits eat theirs roasted (as they do most things) and have not yet warmed to the American dish of “marshmallow yams.”

Can dogs eat yam?

First, dogs can safely eat sweet potatoes or yams. If you see yams in the grocery store, these might not be “true” yams, but a soft variety of sweet potato that was conveniently called a yam to differentiate it from firm sweet potatoes.

Is yam a fruit or vegetable?

Yams are also a tuber vegetable. Their scientific name is Dioscorea, and they originate in Africa and Asia. They are now commonly found in the Caribbean and Latin America as well. Over 600 varieties of yams are known, and 95% of these are still grown in Africa.

Is Yam a real word?

Yes, yam is in the scrabble dictionary.

Why do they call legs yams?

For clarity: “Yams” are a specific potato that is shaped roughly similar to a human leg (feminine). The slang was used predominantly in the 1940s to 1960s to describe an attractive woman’s legs.

Is yam Good for Diabetes?

Loaded with nutrients specially fibre, yam has made it to the list of foods suited for management of weight, diabetes and blood cholesterol levels.

Are yams healthier than potatoes?

Yams have a lower GI than white potatoes, but both fall in the low category. An average-sized boiled white potato has a GI of 50, while an average-sized yam ranks at 37. Different preparations will affect the glycemic index. Mashed potatoes, for example, have a considerably higher GI than boiled.

Can dogs eat sweet potatoes?

When feeding your dog a sweet potato, make sure it’s cooked and that the skin is removed; leaving the skin on makes it harder for your dog to digest. You should never feed your dog a raw sweet potato. Not only are they difficult to chew, but they can upset your dog’s stomach and potentially cause intestinal blockage.

Are yams healthy for you?

They’re a great source of fiber, potassium, manganese, copper, and antioxidants. Yams are linked to various health benefits and may boost brain health, reduce inflammation, and improve blood sugar control. They’re versatile, easy to prepare, and a great vegetable to include in your diet in both sweet and savory dishes.

Are yams a vegetable or starch?

So, what about starchy vegetables? “Starchy vegetables contain higher amounts of carbohydrates. Potatoes, corn, peas, parsnips, sweet potato and yams are all examples of starchy vegetables,” Tuck said.

Why is my sweet potato yellow inside?

The skin color of a sweet potato can tell if it’s spoiled. If it’s yellow or purple, it’s probably spoiled. The skin of a rotten sweet potato will smell bad. However, white or purple skin is no reason to throw out a rotten sweet potato.