Purple sweet potatoes (sometimes mistakenly called purple yams) are fun to cook with and can be used in many of the same ways as the more familiar orange or white sweet potatoes. Though some varieties have white skin, cutting one open will reveal their violet-colored surprise.
What’s the difference between purple yam and sweet potato?
The flesh color varies from white or yellow to purple or pink in mature yams. Yams have a unique taste, too. Compared to sweet potatoes, yams are less sweet and much more starchy and dry. They also tend to have a good shelf life.
Do purple yams taste like sweet potatoes?
What Do They Taste Like? It depends on the variety, but in general, purple sweet potatoes are mildly sweet and almost wine-like in taste. They tend to be much drier and starchier than traditional sweet potatoes. For this reason, purple sweet potatoes are often cooked for longer than traditional sweet potatoes.
Are all purple sweet potatoes the same?
But not all varieties of purple sweet potatoes are created equal. The four main types of purple-fleshed sweet potatoes consumed in the U.S. are Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes, Okinawan sweet potatoes, Murasaki sweet potatoes and Charleston sweet potatoes.
Are yams and sweet potatoes the same thing?
Sweet Potatoes, often called ‘yams’, are a dicot (a plant having two embryonic seed leaves) and are from the Convolvulacea or morning glory family.
Which color sweet potato is healthiest?
Sweet potatoes with orange flesh are richest in beta-carotene. Sweet potatoes with purple flesh are richer in anthocyanins. Beta-carotene and anthocyanins are naturally occurring plant “phyto” chemicals that give vegetables their bright colors.
What is the sweetest sweet potato?
Beauregard Sweet Potatoes
These potatoes have dark reddish-purple skin and deep orange flesh and tend to be quite large. They are the sweetest orange sweet potato on this list and are plenty juicy, making them a great all-purpose sweet potato.
Can you eat the skin on purple sweet potatoes?
Yes, you can eat sweet potato skin, whether it’s an orange, white or purple sweet potato. So the next time you make sweet potatoes, try keeping the skin on. Not only will it save you prep time and add a textural component to the dish, but there are also nutritional benefits to leaving the peel on.
What are purple yams good for?
Here are 7 surprising health benefits of purple yam.
- Highly nutritious.
- Rich in antioxidants.
- May help manage blood sugar.
- May help lower blood pressure.
- May improve symptoms of asthma.
- Promotes gut health.
- Very versatile.
What is purple sweet potato good for?
Purple sweet potatoes are a good source of beta-carotene but are an even richer source of anthocyanin pigments, which act as antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation and boost your immune system. Purple sweet potatoes have about three times more anthocyanins than the average blueberry.
Are there different types of purple potatoes?
Some common varieties include Purple Peruvian, Purple Majesty, All Blue, Congo, Adirondack Blue, Purple Fiesta, and Vitelotte. They have a denser texture and slightly nuttier, earthier flavor than white potatoes.
How many types of purple potatoes are there?
There are around 100 different purple potato plant varieties. Here are some of the most important: Vitolette: The ‘Vitolette’ potato is a late variety with striking, blue-white marbled flesh. It is also often called china truffle potato because of its small, elongated shape.
Is a Japanese sweet potato the same as a purple sweet potato?
Japanese sweet potatoes are also different from Okinawan sweet potatoes (also known as purple sweet potatoes), which have light brown skin and purple flesh.
Can you substitute yams for sweet potatoes?
The main reason you can’t substitute sweet potatoes for yams, or vice versa, is because the two root vegetables taste entirely differently and have very different nutritional compositions. A yam is starchy and dry, but a sweet potato is, as the name suggests, sweet and moister.
Which is sweeter yams or sweet potatoes?
Sweetpotatoes are almost always sweeter than yams. They have versatile flavor easily altered by cooking methods. Starchier and more potato-like, usually not very sweet. Versatile; flavor easily altered by cooking methods.
How do you tell a sweet potato from a yam?
How to tell sweet potatoes and yams apart. A sweet potato has tapered ends and thin, smooth skin and flesh that can range from light beige to burnished orange to purplish, even. A yam is cylindrical, typically white-fleshed—there is a purple variety, too—and has rough, dark, almost hairy skin.
Which is healthier pumpkin or sweet potato?
However, if you place the two in a side-by-side comparison, sweet potato generally outpaces pumpkin in its nutritional makeup from vitamin A to fiber to protein. While pumpkin is a light, low sugar option, sweet potatoes do more heavy lifting and will ultimately feed your body more essential nutrients.
Which sweet potato is good for diabetes?
Orange sweet potatoes are the most common type found in U.S. supermarkets. They’re reddish-brown on the outside and orange on the inside. When compared to regular white potatoes, orange sweet potatoes have a higher fiber content. This gives them a lower GI and makes them a healthier option for people with diabetes.
Is purple sweet potato a Superfood?
Of the thousands of vegetables available today, sweet potatoes are considered one of the most nutritious. The orange- (or sometimes purple) fleshed vegetables are loaded with minerals and A, B, and C vitamins. This has led to sweet potatoes being called a superfood by many.
What state has the best sweet potatoes?
Sweet Potato Crops Flourish Across U.S.
North Carolina has ranked as the No. 1 sweet potato producing state in the U.S. since 1971.
Which sweet potato is best for baking?
For our Best Baked Sweet Potatoes, we recommend passing on tan- or purple-skinned sweet potatoes (so-called dry varieties) and sticking with red or orange, which are known as “moist” varieties. These contain more of the enzyme amylase, which breaks down starches into sugars.