Although people use the terms sweet potato and yam interchangeably, true yams are quite different from the sweet potatoes that we call yams. A yam (Dioscorea Species of the yam, or Dioscoreaceae, family) is a white-fleshed, beta-carotene-lacking tuber originating in West Africa and Asia. It has a long cylindrical shape, sometimes with toes and a rough, scaly appearance. It feels dry in the mouth and tastes starchy. This tropical food is imported from the Caribbean.
A sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas of the morning glory, or Convolvulaceae family) is an orange-colored, beta-carotene rich root originating in Peru and Ecuador. It has a short, blocky, shape with a smooth appearance and a thin skin. In the mouth a sweet potato is an explosion of sweet, moist taste. This tropical food is grown here in the United States.
(Reference source: Jonathan R. Schultheis and L. George Wilson. “What is the Difference Between a Sweet Potato and a Yam?” Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, North Carolina State University. Pp. 1-2.)
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