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Sweet Potatoes & Yams

Posted By Patti On 16th November 2006 @ 20:10 In Nutrition | 2 Comments

read time: 158 words, about a minute

The terms “Sweet potato” and “yam” are used interchangeably; however, they are two different species… both good.

Yams are the tuber (root) of a tropical vine and traditional in West Indian and Nigerian cuisine.

Sweet potatoes are a tuber as well - native to Central America.

Yams are generally sweeter with more natural sugar.

Sweet potatoes come in many varieties, of two basic types:
- Thin, light yellow skinned with pale flesh. Less sweet, more dry and similar to white potatoes.
- Darker and thicker skinned with orange, sweeter and moister flesh.

Low in calories, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. Good source of fiber.
You know what orange means… high in carotenoids. A sweet potato has about twice the RDA of Vitamin A. They’re also a good source of Vitamins B6 & C, potassium, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, folic acid, copper, calcium, manganese, iron and thiamine.

Butter - not margarine - is a good topper. And cinnamon is an excellent topper. Marshmallows - a no no.


2 Comments To "Sweet Potatoes & Yams"

#1 Comment By Michael Cropper On 21st January 2008 @ 20:28

I have baked a yam/sweet potato maybe once in my life. (I am 56 and my doctor says not to eat white potatoes because yams/sweet potatoes have less cholesteral…)

I tried the potato with cinnamon and butter - fantastic.

Thank you for the suggestion.

#2 Comment By Greg H On 16th March 2008 @ 10:36

Maybe your doctor is mistaken. Check this web site they list white potato as having no cholesteral

[1] http://nutrican.fshn.uiuc.edu/tables/Whitepotatoes.html


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[1] http://nutrican.fshn.uiuc.edu/tables/Whitepotatoes.html: http://nutrican.fshn.uiuc.edu/tables/Whitepotatoes.html

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