Sweet Potato
A member of the morning glory family, the sweet potato is in no way related to the potato. The sweet potato is grown year round in tropical regions, especially China where the majority of the world's sweet potatoes are eaten. In the United States, the majority of sweet potatoes are grown in North Carolina.
Nutritional Information
The sweet potato derives its sweetness from starch. When cooked the starch breaks apart releasing the sweetness throughout the potato. Certain varieties are sweeter than others, for example the Jewel. This sweetness is not only used for flavor but is also used in making some adhesives.
In addition to starch, the sweet potato is high in fiber and high in carbohydrates. Most varieties, when raw, are high in Vitamin C; certain varieties lose this Vitamin C when cooked.
Yams and Sweet Potatoes
Most of the vegetables sold in the United States as yams are in fact sweet potatoes. True yams are large, cylindrical objects found predominately in Africa and the Caribbean. Yams are a member of a different botanical family and are not related to the sweet potato (or the potato). Also, traditional yams are dry and less sweet than sweet potatoes.
Varieties
Jersey sweet potatoes are a dry variety with yellow flesh and also are higher in fiber than other varieties.
Kotobuki (or Japanese) sweet potatoes are a sweeter variety with pink skin and white flesh. This variety is frequently referred to as a Japanese yam even though it isn't a yam.
Okinawan sweet potatoes are also called purple sweet potatoes or (purple yams) due to its purple flesh.
Beauregard yams (which are actually sweet potatoes) are one of the most popular varieties of sweet potatoes with brown skin and orange flesh. The Beauregard is higher in starch than other varieties, making it sweeter (and moister).
Garnet yams (again, sweet potatoes called yams) are similar to the Beauregard however the flesh is typically a lighter shade of orange.
Jewel yams (sweet potatoes) are high in starch and one of the sweeter varieties of sweet potatoes. The Jewel has deep orange flesh with reddish brown skin.
