When I was growing up, every Thanksgiving my mom would make "Yummy Yams," a recipe passed on down through generations of my family. I never liked them because they had a coconut topping. Yup, I hate coconut. Not the milk, the fruit. Yuck. Don't judge me.
So it wasn't until later in my adulthood that I tried just plain yams. And OH.MY.LANTA! I would rather have one of these beauties over a baked or mashed potato any day. In fact, I find myself craving sweet potato (which is often confused for a yam) fries often. So tasty. Do NOT mistake a yam for a sweet potato - they may taste very similar but there is one very distinct difference. Their skins. Potatoes are more sensitive. Oh wait, no, it's that they have thinner skins. That's it. Yams have a thicker, rougher skin. Plus they are bigger than sweet potatoes.
Did you know on most diets, when you aren't allowed to have regular potatoes, you can have yams?! It's true! What is the big deal? I'll tell you. Yams are an excellent source of complex carbohydrates, which means that they take longer to digest, keeping your fuller for longer.
This tuber is a great source of the B-complex group of vitamins. It provides the daily requirements of Vitamin B6 and B1, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, and Niacin. All help with the metabolic functions of the body. It also contains Vitamin C! We all know how good that baby is for us.
Yams are one of the most rich sources of minerals like copper, calcium, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus. Potassium helps with heart rate and blood pressure and counteracts the effects of sodium. Iron and copper aid in the production of red blood cells.
So, go grab yourself some Yams and get healthy!
Here are a few recipes that I use yams with (even though the recipe calls for sweet potatoes, I like to use yams):
Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potatoes
Slow Cooker Chicken Curry