If you’re like me, at first glance you can’t tell the difference between a yam and a sweet potato. They both are orange on the inside and both taste great in a pie or mashed or in a casserole. Even though they may look the same, technically, they’re two different vegetables–especially how your body digests them. Read this article for Yams vs. Sweet Potatoes and understand the differences.
RELATED: Three Things You Didn’t Know About Sweet Potatoes + Recipe
Yams sold in the United States are actually a type of sweet potato. Sweet potatoes originated in South America and are grown in the United States. True yams are native to Africa and are seldom sold in your local grocery store. The two potatoes also do not share similar carbohydrate profiles. As a result, sweet potatoes boost blood sugar, while yams help keep it balanced.
After you eat sweet potatoes and yams, their carbohydrates are digested into simple sugars that enter your bloodstream, causing a post-meal boost in blood sugar. For most people, this isn’t a problem because insulin escorts sugar into cells, which returns blood levels to normal. However, if you have health conditions that interfere with normal secretion or use of insulin — insulin resistance, prediabetes or diabetes — your body struggles to remove the extra sugar and blood levels remain high. Over time, high blood sugar may cause kidney disease and heart attacks, according to the American Diabetes Association.
If you only look at total carbohydrates you might think the glycemic scores are wrong. You’ll get 26.58 grams of total carbohydrates from a 150-gram serving of sweet potatoes. The same portion of yams has 41.22 grams of total carbohydrates–nearly double the amount! In spite of their higher carb content, yams have a smaller impact on blood sugar thanks to containing more fiber and less sugar. Sweet potatoes have 12 times more sugar and 3.8 grams of fiber, compared to 5.8 grams of fiber in yams. Soluble fiber slows down the rate of carbohydrate digestion, which helps prevent spikes in blood sugar.
RELATED: Heart Healthy: Sweet Potato Nachos
So what does this all mean?
Try eating a smaller serving of sweet potato, it will have less impact on blood sugar because…
…you’ll get fewer total carbs and sugar. Eating three regular meals daily and including about the same amount of carbs at every meal also helps keep blood sugar balanced.
The American Diabetes Association recommends getting about 45 to 60 grams of carbohydrates at each meal. Depending on your health and activity level, you may require a different amount, so talk to your health care provider just to be sure.
Either way you go, I’m sure it will taste great! Just remember to limit the amount of butter you add to your yams or sweet potatoes and be sure to use real brown sugar and real honey.
By the way, if you’e looking for a healthier sweet potato casserole recipe, click here. It’ll have your tastebuds jumping for joy while keeping your weight and blood sugar in check.
For more on the best foods for you to eat, click here.
Sweet Potatoes: Your Skin’s Best Friend
Sweet potatoes are a delicious natural way to give your skin that much needed winter boost.
Why?
Sweet potatoes are packed with antioxidants, which help keep your skin smooth and soft. They also have anti-inflammatory benefits, which helps with acne.
To rejuvenate your dry skin, take one big sweet potato and boil it until it is soft enough that the skin can be pulled off easily. Take 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon of milk, and 1 tablespoon of ginger juice extracted by grating the ginger root and then sieve the juice out using a muslin cloth. Blend all the ingredients until you have a smooth paste. Apply the mask to your cleansed face and neck. Let it sit for 20-25 minutes. Rinse off with warm water. This mask will leave your skin fresh, hydrated and prevent premature aging. You can easily refrigerate the remaining unused face mask in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
RELATED: Three Things You Didn’t Know About Sweet Potatoes + Recipe
To make a mild scrub that doesn’t dry out your skin, take half a cup of boiled sweet potato cubes, 1 tablespoon oats, and 1 tablespoon yogurt and blend them to form a thick, coarse paste. Use this to scrub your skin in slow circular…
… motions and wash it off with lukewarm water followed by moisturizing your skin with your favorite moisturizer.
One medium sweet potato contains 4 grams of fiber. Fiber can help detoxify the skin by promoting a healthy digestive system.
The next time you decide to eat this tasty vegetable, just take two slices and place them on your eyes. As mentioned before, anthocyanin helps in reducing pigmentation and has anti-inflammatory properties that will help in getting rid of dark circles, wrinkles and puffiness of eyes.
Sweet potatoes contain Vitamin E, which supports skin cell health.
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