Yams (family Dioscoreaceae) are native to Africa and Asia and other tropical regions. Yams are starchy tubers that have an almost black bark-like skin and white, purple or reddish flesh and come in many varieties. The tubers can be as small as regular potatoes or grow upwards of five feet long.
What does a real African yam look like?
Yams are mostly tropical species. They are big-looking roots, with rough wrinkly, dark, and sometimes hairy skin and white to slightly yellow or cream-colored starchy flesh, and they can grow so big.
What are yams called in Africa?
nyami
Africans call yams “nyami,” which is where we get the word “yam.” They are cylindrical and vary in size. Some of the largest yams have weighed more than 100 pounds and have been several feet long.
What does African yam taste like?
Description/Taste
Underneath the tough skin, the cream-colored flesh is dense, dry, and starchy. When cooked, West African yams have a mild, earthy flavor with a subtle sweetness.
What is African yam made of?
What is African Yam? The term African yam refers to some members of the genus Dioscorea, the two main ones being white yam (Dioscorea rotundata) and yellow yam (Discorea cayennensis). There are other types of yams consumed within the African continent, but the white yam is most commonly consumed.
Can you eat African yam raw?
Naturally occurring plant proteins found in yams can be toxic and cause illness if consumed raw.
Is African yam healthy?
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.
What is a 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 yam called in Nigeria?
Puna
Yam (Puna) is very popular in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.
How do you cook African yams?
How to boil Yam
- Cut, slice and peel Yam.
- Rinse yam and put in a pot, cover with water, add salt, sugar, cover and leave to boil for 25 minutes or till soft (when poked with fork it goes in without resistance)
- When soft, drain the water and leave yam to cool.
- Serve with sauce of choice like:
What is yam called in USA?
sweet potatoes
In the United States, sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas), especially those with orange flesh, are often referred to as “yams”
Is there a difference between sweet potatoes and yams?
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.
Are sweet potato and yams the same?
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.
Is yam and cassava the same?
The main difference between cassava and yam is that cassava possesses a higher percentage of calories than yams. It is true that yams and cassava are tuberous root vegetables. Both cassava and yams grow out of a flowering plant.
How do you harvest African yams?
To select healthy yams, pick yams that are firm to touch all the way around and have very small to no cracks. While yam skin is highly textured, it shouldn’t be wrinkled like an old cucumber. These tips are generally helpful but note that at different stages of life, the taste of the yam changes.
Why are they called yams?
African slaves had already been calling the ‘soft’ sweet potatoes ‘yams’ because they resembled the yams in Africa. Thus, ‘soft’ sweet potatoes were referred to as ‘yams’ to distinguish them from the ‘firm’ varieties.
Are yams poisonous?
Unlike sweet potatoes, yams are toxic if they’re eaten raw, but they’re perfectly safe when cooked. True yams can generally be substituted in any sweet potato recipe.
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.
Is African 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.
What are the side effects of eating yam?
However, large amounts of wild yam can lead to side effects, including:
- nausea.
- vomiting.
- headaches.
- digestive issues.
Is African yam good for weight loss?
The roots of yams provide a beneficial fiber known as glucomannan, which is thought to help with weight loss. Essentially, when consumed, the fiber can turn into a gel that sits in your stomach and allows you to feel full for longer. As a result, you curb your cravings and weight loss is more achievable.
Marilyn Medina is a food expert with over 15 years of experience in the culinary industry. She has worked in some of the most prestigious kitchens in the world, including The Ritz-Carlton and The French Laundry.
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