Yams

Yams are starchy tubers from a vine in the family Dioscoreaceae that are similar to sweet potatoes but unrelated to them. (Sweet potatoes come from a vine in the Convolvulaceae, the same family as morning glories). They are a staple of many Southeast Asian and African cuisines, and are widely used in India. Yams are not readily available in the United States. The may be found in some international grocery stores. Yams found in the US have usually been found in the Caribbean.

In the US many Sweet Potato varieties have come to be called Yams. Common varieties are Jewel Yams, Garnet Yams and Beauregard Yams are all Sweet Potatoes. It is thought that the name traces back to African slaves in the Caribbean referring to them as nyami which in Senegalese translats to to eat.http://www.cinnamonhearts.com/IYam03.htm. The USDA requires that all sweet potato products labeled as yams also have the term sweet potato in the label.http://www.agmrc.org/commodities__products/vegetables/sweet_potato_profile.cfm

When yams appear in ethnic or specialty grocers in the U.S., they can be treated like sweet potatoes. Yam powder, available at African and Caribbean groceries, is made into a paste analogous to mashed potatoes.