Tag: True yam

According to botanical sources, true yams belong to the genus *Dioscorea*, while elephant foot yam is a distinct plant from the *Amorphophallus* genus. This fundamental classification shows that while they are both starchy root vegetables, yam and elephant yam are not the same, despite their shared name.

Over 95% of the yams produced worldwide are grown in Africa, while most of what is sold as "yams" in American grocery stores are actually orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, a common and long-standing misnomer. This confusion has led many people to misunderstand the true identity and characteristics of a genuine yam.

Most "yams" sold in US supermarkets are actually mislabeled sweet potatoes. Therefore, answering the question of how many calories in a true yam requires separating fact from the widespread confusion. This article provides a definitive breakdown of the nutritional profile for genuine yams.

According to nutritional data, raw true yams contain only about 0.5 grams of sugar per 100 grams, whereas sweet potatoes have significantly more, with over 6 grams for the same serving size. This sheds light on the common question of which has less sugar, yams or sweet potatoes.