Current Facts. Jewel yams, botanically classified as Ipomoea batatas, are a root vegetable and are members of the Convolvulaceae or morning glory family. They are not a true yam but rather an orange-fleshed variety of sweet potato.
Are jewel yams the same as sweet potatoes?
Jewel & Garnet Yams – These have brownish-orange skins and bright orange interiors. While labeled yams, they are actually sweet potatoes and are even more common than the standard white-fleshed sweet potato. These varieties are a low-calorie, nutrient-dense food, packed with vitamin-A (more than carrots!).
Is a sweet yam the same as a sweet potato?
They are also botanically different. Sweet potatoes belong to the morning glory family of plants, called the Convolvulaceae family. Yams belong to a different family, called Dioscoreaceae. The edible parts of sweet potatoes are called roots, and yams are classified as tubers.
What is a jewel sweet potato?
Jewels have light orange skin, and are less intensely sweet than Beauregards, but can be used in many of the same recipes. These orange-fleshed sweet potatoes pack a lot of moisture, and take well to boiling, baking, and making into casseroles.
Can you use yams in place of sweet potatoes?
Though you’re not likely to find true yams at your grocery store, yams and sweet potatoes are interchangeable in most recipes.
Are jewel yams healthy?
Jewel yams are rich in beta-carotene, dietary fiber, vitamin B6, vitamin C, potassium, iron, and calcium.
Can jewel yams be eaten raw?
You can eat them raw, baked, boiled, steamed, roasted, broiled, grilled, fried and just about any other way you can think of! prepared almost any way. It is very sweet and has a nice creamy, velvety texture when cooked. to be a little sweeter than the Garnet.
Which is healthier yam or sweet potato?
Sweet potatoes are more nutritious than yams. Sweet potatoes and yams are both healthy foods, and they look similar. Sweet potatoes, however, have higher concentrations of most nutrients and more fiber.
Which is sweeter yams or sweet potatoes?
Sweetpotatoes are almost always sweeter than yams. They have versatile flavor easily altered by cooking methods. Starchier and more potato-like, usually not very sweet. Versatile; flavor easily altered by cooking methods.
Do yams and sweet potatoes taste the same?
While yams and sweet potatoes are the same in their application, they differ in taste, texture, and appearance. Sweet potatoes live up to the ‘sweet’ in their name, while yams are more earthy and neutral. Yams have a lot of the same starchiness as traditional potatoes, while sweet potatoes can be softer and gooier.
What is the sweetest type of sweet potato?
Beauregard Sweet Potatoes
They are the sweetest orange sweet potato on this list and are plenty juicy, making them a great all-purpose sweet potato.
What type of sweet potato is the healthiest?
Sweet potatoes with orange flesh are richest in beta-carotene. Sweet potatoes with purple flesh are richer in anthocyanins. Beta-carotene and anthocyanins are naturally occurring plant “phyto” chemicals that give vegetables their bright colors.
Are there two types of sweet potatoes?
Among the numerous varieties of sweet potatoes grown in the U.S., there are two major types. Firm sweet potatoes, which have golden skin and paler flesh. Soft sweet potatoes, which have copper skin and orange flesh.
What is the difference between yams and sweet potatoes in cooking?
No, yams and sweet potatoes are not the same. Yams have rough, dark brown skin that is often compared to tree bark, and their flesh is dry and starchy like a regular potato. Sweet potatoes have smooth reddish skin, softer flesh (when cooked), and a sweet flavor.
How do you tell a sweet potato from a yam?
How to tell sweet potatoes and yams apart. A sweet potato has tapered ends and thin, smooth skin and flesh that can range from light beige to burnished orange to purplish, even. A yam is cylindrical, typically white-fleshed—there is a purple variety, too—and has rough, dark, almost hairy skin.
What is equivalent to a sweet potato?
The best substitutes for Sweet Potatoes are Garnet potatoes, Jewel potatoes, Japanese Sweet potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes, Carrots, Parsnips, Pumpkins, Butternut, Spaghetti Squash, Ube, Kabocha, Acorn, Golden Beets, Celery Root and White potatoes.
Which sweet potato is best for diabetes?
Orange sweet potatoes are the most common type found in U.S. supermarkets. They’re reddish-brown on the outside and orange on the inside. When compared to regular white potatoes, orange sweet potatoes have a higher fiber content. This gives them a lower GI and makes them a healthier option for people with diabetes.
What is the difference between jewel yams and red yams?
The jewel yam seems to cook oranger than the garnet, but I have trouble telling them apart. I think I’ve figured it out, though: the garnet yam has a reddish skin and tends to be thicker and rounder—sort of more corpulent—and the jewel has brown (sort of light brown) skin and is longer and skinnier.
Is yam good for high blood pressure?
Yams are full of nutrients that aid in heart health. Some of the main nutrients that promote heart health include fiber and potassium. Potassium aids in the reduction of blood pressure by blunting the effects of sodium, and the amount of sodium in the American diet is a growing concern.
Is yam good for diabetics?
Its high fibre content contributes to a glycemic index of 54, significantly lower than that of potatoes having a glycemic index of 80. This makes yam better suited for weight watchers, diabetics and those with heart disease as it does not create sharp increase in insulin response.
Is yam good for weight loss?
Helps in Weight Loss
Yams are rich in calories and dietary fibre. Studies have demonstrated that fibre aids weight loss. The roots of yam are edible, and they promote weight loss.
Elvira Bowen is a food expert who has dedicated her life to understanding the science of cooking. She has worked in some of the world’s most prestigious kitchens, and has published several cookbooks that have become bestsellers. Elvira is known for her creative approach to cuisine, and her passion for teaching others about the culinary arts.