Yams were independently domesticated on three different continents: Africa (Dioscorea rotundata), Asia (Dioscorea alata), and the Americas (Dioscorea trifida).
- 9.1 Africa.
- 9.2 Brazil.
- 9.3 Colombia.
- 9.4 Philippines.
- 9.5 Vietnam.
- 9.6 Indonesia.
- 9.7 Japan.
- 9.8 India.
Which country eat yam the most?
The top ranked country, Nigeria, accounted for 67.3 % of yam production in the world. The top 3 countries hold a 88.2 % share while the ten largest countries some 96.9 % in 2019.
Which Country Produces the Most Yam?
| Yam Production | Unit |
|---|---|
| Haiti | kt |
| Ivory Coast | kt |
| Nigeria | kt |
| Papua New Guinea | kt |
What countries have yams?
The biggest producer of yams is Nigeria (more than 44 million tons), followed by Ghana, Ivory Coast, Benin and Togo. Cameroon, Chad, Central African Republic, Haiti and Colombia complete the top 10.
What country is yam from?
Yams originated in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. Africans call yams “nyami,” which is where we get the word “yam.” They are cylindrical and vary in size.
Which country eats the most sweet potato?
China is the world’s biggest producer and consumer of sweetpotato, where it is used for food, animal feed, and processing (as food, starch, and other products).
Do Asians eat yam?
The edible tubers are cultivated largely in Asia and sometimes used in alternative medicine. This species of yam is unique as the tubers can be eaten raw.
| Chinese yam | |
|---|---|
| Order: | Dioscoreales |
| Family: | Dioscoreaceae |
| Genus: | Dioscorea |
| Species: | D. polystachya |
Are sweet potatoes and yams 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.
Are raw yams poisonous?
Naturally occurring plant proteins found in yams can be toxic and cause illness if consumed raw. Peeling and cooking yams thoroughly will remove any harmful substances ( 17 ).
What are American yams?
Often North Americans use the words “yam” & “sweet potato” interchangeably. However, a true yam is a starchy, edible tuber, generally with a drier taste than a sweet potato.
What is a yam 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.”
Are yams Nigerian?
Yam is grown widely in Nigeria. The area where it is grown the most is the Gboko town in Benue state. Yam can be served with a variety of soups like Egusi, Ogbono, Vegetable and Okro. In many parts of the country, it is said that “yam is food and food is yam”.
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.
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.
What countries eat sweet potatoes?
The highest levels of sweet potato per capita consumption was registered in Angola (X kg/year), followed by Tanzania (X kg/year), China (X kg/year), Ethiopia (X kg/year) and Nigeria (X kg/year), while the average per capita consumption of sweet potato was estimated at X kg/year in 2015.
What nationality eats the most potatoes?
Based on a comparison of 161 countries in 2019, China ranked the highest in potato consumption with 63,875 kt followed by India and USA. On the other end of the scale was Central African Republic with 1.00 kt, Sierra Leone with 1.00 kt and East Timor with 1.00 kt.
What country uses sweet potatoes?
The sweet potato is considered as a staple in some tropical countries where rice and potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) are scarce or expensive.
Top Sweet Potato Growing Countries.
| Rank | Ten Part Template | Annual Sweet Potato Production |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 70,963,630 metric tons |
| 2 | Nigeria | 3,478,270 metric tons |
| 3 | Tanzania | 3,345,170 metric tons |
What is Japanese yam?
The Japanese yam, is also commonly known as mountain yam, satsuma imo and kotobuki, is a sweet yam variety that is only distantly related to the potato. It is a root vegetable and a member of the Dioscoreaceae family, which houses predominantly perennial herbaceous vines.
Is yams healthy to eat?
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.
What do yam taste like?
What Do Yams Taste Like? Compared to sweet potatoes, yams have an earthy, neutral taste. They can be mildly sweet but mostly take on the flavor of the seasonings used in the dish. Yams must be cooked before eating because they are toxic when eaten raw.
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.
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.
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.