Revised November 2001

A real autumn delight is new crop sweet potatoes and yams that take us all the way through the holiday season and beyond. Although their season begins in July, they become more popular as the weather gets colder. This article was written to break this habit and share with you some recipes and nutritional information for all seasons. So, lets get this part out of the way right now - All yams are sweet potatoes but not all sweet potatoes are yams. And all yams are sweet potatoes only in the United States!  Did I confuse you enough?

Lets start over. A true yam does not possess any of the characteristics desired in sweet potatoes. A true yam is called "nyami"  an African word which refers to the edible, starchy root of the plant. It belongs to the Dioscorea genus of plants.

Nyami, grown in the Caribbean, originated in West Africa & Asia are now available in the US via import.

Several decades ago when the orange fleshed "Sweet Potatoes" were first grown in the southern United States, growers and distributors wanted to distinguish them from the more common white fleshed potatoes. Since nyami were not available in the US and nobody knew what they were unless they had done some traveling, they ripped off then name! At least they had the sense to leave off the "N" and the "I" and stick with the middle of the word - "YAM". The name stuck and that is what we have today. Three major varieties of Sweet Potatoes, with two of them called Yams.

As a result, all yams commercially produced and marketed in the United States are really sweet potatoes.

The U.S. Department of  Agriculture requires that the label "yam" always be accompanied by the words "sweet potato."

Now that I've cleared up that confusion, get ready for this - Within the US and our definitions of yams and sweet potatoes, there is a difference between what we call sweet potatoes and yams. To make it clearer there are three major varieties of sweet potatoes on the market today. It goes as follows:

A yellow fleshed tan skinned tuber is marketed as a "sweet potato"  Then there are the bright orange fleshed coppery/red skinned sweet potato marketed as "yams."

There are "Jewel Yams" – copper colored skin with orange flesh. "Garnet Yams" which are red skinned and bright orange fleshed. And then the Bouregard Yam as well. These yams are all of the Mameya variety with its origin in Puerto Rico.

Sweet Potatoes are a relative of the morning glory. They originated in Ecuador and Peru. In the 1800's Georgia was the number one producer of sweet potatoes.  Around 1936 Louisiana, North Carolina and Virginia began out producing Louisiana. Today California is one of the nations largest producer of sweet potatoes & yams.

Sweet potatoes are responsible for keeping soldiers healthy during the Civil War & to go back even further early American settlers enjoyed boiled sweet potatoes during their long hard winters. The Spaniards are responsible for spreading them around the world including the Orient where they have become a staple.

Selection

Avoid sweets that have scarring, sprouting, and flabbiness, shriveled ends and/or cut ends.  These are all signs of age. Dehydration and decay are in process.

Look for firm brightly colored yams & sweets that are heavy for their size. Speaking of size, it does not make a difference in quality. It does make a difference in cooking times though. Obviously the Jumbo Yams & sweets will require longer cooking times when cooked whole.

Sweet potatoes have thin skin and should be handled carefully to avoid tearing which will cause them to spoil quickly. Growers "cure' them  for approximately 10 days in a high temperature and humidity to help enhance their natural sweetness.

Store them at home in a dry area right around 55-60.  They should hold up well for almost a month in this temperature range.  Do not refrigerate them as the sugars turn to starch and their flavor is altered considerably.  Wash only before preparation to avoid moisture that will cause them to mold.  

Looking for Vitamin A? Sweet Potatoes are loaded with it!

Why Vitamin A is Important.

Important for night vision & the performance of the pigment in the eyes.

Protects against Bacterial Infection

Vitamin A is needed to keep mucous membranes healthy. These membranes are an important defense against bacterial infection and are found in many major systems of the body – eyes, nose, mouth, intestinal and respiratory tracts. ( large intakes-those substantially over the Recommended Daily Allowance - don't' provide additional protective benefits since the membranes take only what the need from the body's supply.)

Essential for Normal Skeletal and Tooth Development

Working with vitamin D , Vitamin A allows sufficient calcium to be deposited in the teeth . Specialized cells have to do the job of depositing minerals into bone (osteoblasts) and teeth (ameloblasts). Vitamin A is involved in transforming immature cells into these specialized cells.

Possible Protection Against Certain Cancers

Studies show that beta Carotene (a substance found in plants that is changed into vitamin A by the body) has potential for preventing and treating certain cancers, especially lung cancer that is aggravated by smoking. Beta Carotene is not to be confused with vitamin A found already in animal products and vitamin supplements.

Other Functions
Vitamin A is necessary for the formation and maintenance of healthy skin and hair. It is also involved in reproduction.

Other Sources of Vitamin A
Based on the U.S. Food & Drug  Administration U.S.  Recommended daily Allowance. (USRDA)

100% & Over
Butternut Squash, Cantaloupe, Carrots, Collards, Hubbard Squash, Kale, mangoes, Sweet Potatoes.

40-99%
Apricots, Chinese cabbage, Mustard Greens, Spinach, Turnip Greens.

25-39%
Pumpkin, Romaine Lettuce, Swiss Chard, Watermelon.

10-24%
Avocado, Brussels Sprouts, Carambola (Star Fruit), Endive, Nectarines, Prunes, Savoy Cabbage, Tangerines, Tomatoes

*Source – USDA Handbook 8 "Federal Regulations" section.

Okay enough of this jibber jabber. How do you eat these things?!?

I prefer baking They can be boiled but I don't recommend it. . When you boil them it takes away flavor and makes them extremely mushy.

*Note  the yellow fleshed tan skinned sweet potatoes have less moisture and are a little mealy. The copper/red skinned orange fleshed yam is moist with a smooth consistent texture.

Baked Sweet Potatoes/Yams

Bake them with the skin on @ 350 for about 45 minutes if they are approximately   the serving size described above in the nutrition counter..

Place them in a shallow pan. Give them a little poke with a for enough to penetrate the skin. And put them in! Check them in about 45 min. by inserting a fork (the same one if you don't want to wash it twice) if the fork inserts smooothly and comes out easy, then it's done.

Let them cool a bit so you don't burn yourself trying to peel a steaming hot yam, and then you can top it with some sprinkles of brown sugar or pure Vermont maple syrup, honey, butter or you can just eat plain. They have a wonderful flavor and a smooth texture. You can't beat it!

Sweet Potato Bread

¾ cup sugar

½ cup pure Maple Syrup

1&1/2  cups baked yams red or garnet (if you prefer a less moist  bread, use sweet potatoes) cooked and mashed

• ½ cup butter softened (room temp)
• 2 large    eggs
• 1&1/2 cups flour
• 2 TSP baking powder
• ¼ TSP    nutmeg
• 1 TSP cinnamon
• 1 cup  half & half
• ½ cup raisins or dried cranberries
• ¼  cup    walnuts or pecan chopped

Beat together the sugar, syrup, sweet potatoes, and butter until smooth. Add the eggs and blend well.

Sift the flour, baking powder and spices together. Then add alternately back and forth with the half & half to the sweet potato mixture. Stir to blend. DO NOT OVER MIX.

Fold in the raisins and nuts. Pour into two well greased or buttered bread baking pans 9"x5"x2&1/2" deep.

Eat one and give one to a friend!

Sweet Potato Casserole

This is usually done with Tangerines or Oranges.

• 4 pounds yams or sweet potatoes Approx. 12 med.
• ½ cup  melted butter or Spectrum brand spread for vegan version.
• 6 Tangelos or 5 medium oranges (seedless)
• ½ cup maple syrup or honey or brown sugar
• 6 TBSP walnuts or pecans

Bake yams as described above. Cool and peel.

Whip together the yams, the butter and the sugar.

Peel the citrus and cut the sections In half. Fold them in. Add the sections of two more

tangelos uncut arranged across the top and bake them in a greased casserole dish.

*Some folks like to add rum or brandy follow the recipe exact but add in about 6 TBSP.

A tasty replacement for the sugar, honey or maple syrup is 4 dead ripe Hachiya Persimmons. Peel the persimmons remove stem and mach into a bowl. Add to the mix and/or pour over the top.

Sweet Potato Wraps

• 2 medium sized sweet potatoes or garnet yams
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 2 cups cooked rice
• I can black beans
• ½ medium red onion diced
• 1 medium green, yellow, or red pepper
• Shredded Jack cheese
• 1 pkg. Corn or flour tortillas

Peel the sweet potatoes with a potato peeler and discard the peels.

Over a bowl continue peeling the peeled sweet potato until they are completely shredded. If you have a Kitchen Machine or some other form of food shredding device then use it.

Place 1 tablespoon of olive oil in  a large skillet

Add the onions peppers and sweet potato. Mix to keep from sticking add the black beans and frozen corn (you can use fresh corn if you don't mind cutting from the cob). Add the cooked rice and mix as if you were making fried rice.

Heat up the tortillas add the shredded cheeses and scoop the mixture right on top. Wrap and eat! Adding some of your favorite salsa tops it off.

The enjoyment of Sweet Potatoes and Yams is endless, the health benefits are tremendous. Did you know that you can exchange the same amount of sweet potatoes with pumpkin to make a great pie?