Contrary to what your Thanksgiving recipes might dictate, yams and sweet potatoes are not the same thing. In cooking, they are often used interchangeably, though, and even some grocery stores confuse them and don’t label these vegetables appropriately. To cover your nutritional bases, combine these two root vegetables into a distinctive, delicious soup that warms the bones and body.
Yam
The yam is not botanically related to the sweet potato, but the tubers resemble each other in appearance. Native to Africa, the yam has rough, scaly skin and is long and cylindrical. The starchy flesh of this tuber is less dry than a sweet potato and is not as rich in beta carotene, either. If you can find a yam, enjoy its distinctive flavor and enjoy the fact that you’re eating a food rich in antioxidants, B vitamins and folic acid.
Sweet Potato
Native to Central and South America, and the Caribbean, the sweet potato is a root that is typically short and blocky. The flesh is either bright yellow with a very thin skin, or it has a thicker, orange skin with a flesh that is more moist and sweet than a yam. It has vitamin C, calcium and iron, and is also loaded with beta carotene, which is vitamin A. According to Jennifer Schultz-Nelson of the University of Illinois Extension Service, the confusion of sweet potatoes with yams likely occurred in the antebellum South. African slaves might have called the sweet potato “nyami” or “aniyam” in reference to the yam of their home country, and the misnomer remained. Today, the sweet potato is much more abundant in the United States and what is most often served at the holiday table.
Healthy Yam and Sweet Potato Soup
For a healthy soup that has little more than 300 calories, combine a diced sweet potato and yam with chopped onions, red bell peppers, garlic and carrots. Add enough broth to cover the vegetables, and then add your choice of spices and herbs, including ginger, salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne or coriander. Simmer until the vegetables are fork-tender. Puree the soup and stir in peanut butter and honey. Top with chives and enjoy a meal that offers about 14 g of protein, 5 g of fiber and only 18 g of fat.
Spicy Yam and Sweet Potato Soup
If you like a little kick to your soup, make a yam-and-sweet-potato concoction that includes the addition of chipotle chilies. The spicy, smoky quality is a natural complement to the sweetness of the potatoes. Sauté one chopped onion and two chopped garlic cloves in oil. Add cumin and make a paste. Chop two yams and two sweet potatoes and add them to the mixture, along with one chopped chipotle chili in adobo. Cover with broth and bring the mixture to a boil before reducing to a simmer. Once the vegetables are tender, puree the soup, add additional seasonings and top with a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt. This spicy soup has less than 200 calories per serving.
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