# Yams vs. sweet potatoes **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [November 20, 2014, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yams-vs-sweet-potatoes/705186 "2014-11-20T19:13:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2014, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yams-vs-sweet-potatoes/705186/21 "2014-11-26T19:44:18Z")
I suspect some of those images are different things, but WAGs: [Cassava](https://www.google.com/search?q=cassava&biw=1280&bih=672&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=LCt2VIbYGoKKoQT_h4KQBw&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ) aka manioc? [Jicama](https://www.google.com/search?q=jicama&biw=1280&bih=672&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=fyt2VJjeI5KtogTg_oI4&sqi=2&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ) (rather watery) Or I know nothing about [eddoe](https://www.google.com/search?q=eddoe&biw=1280&bih=672&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=IC12VI77PNfcoASRyIGYDw&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ) except that it’s the malanga in the upper right. Doubt that one. Sorry, all you roots look the same. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2014, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yams-vs-sweet-potatoes/705186/22 "2014-11-26T19:46:43Z")
What did I eat at a Honduran restaurant that resembled a baked Idaho potato? ---
**Author:** ![seodoa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@seodoa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seodoa)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yams-vs-sweet-potatoes/705186/23 "2014-11-27T00:20:32Z")
**carnivorousplant** , maybe it was a baked Idaho potato? 😉 If not, my first guess would be yuca (aka manioc, aka cassava) which is neither a potato nor a true yam. As for the OP, in Japan potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yams are popular and I can assure you that they are nothing alike. Potatoes (_Solanum tuberosum_) and sweet potatoes (_Ipomoea batatas_) are superficially similar in texture, but quite different in shape. Sweet potatoes being generally longer and quite tapered. Yams are another thing entirely. The two most popular yams in Japan are the [nagaimo](http://thumbnail.image.rakuten.co.jp/@0_mall/sweet-vegetable/cabinet/00765866/02062994/img57808115.jpg?_ex=400x400&s=2&r=1) (_Dioscorea polystachya_) and [yamaimo](http://www.ebarafoods.com/recipe/calendar/img/ingredient/detail/kisetsu_18.jpg) (_Dioscorea japonica_). They may look vaguely like a very long potato, but their texture is completely different, usually described as ‘slimy.’ Nagaimo is often served raw, grated into a goop that is poured on top of rice or noodles. The texture is a bit off-putting at first, but the taste is agreeable. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yams-vs-sweet-potatoes/705186/24 "2014-11-27T00:31:35Z")
> [@seodoa](#): > > **carnivorousplant** , maybe it was a baked Idaho potato? 😉 > > If not, my first guess would be yuca (aka manioc, aka cassava) which is neither a potato nor a true yam. Yes, yuca. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![seodoa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@seodoa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seodoa)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yams-vs-sweet-potatoes/705186/25 "2014-11-27T01:01:59Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Yes, yuca. > Thanks! No problem! I used to have a Peruvian boyfriend who would cook yuca for me all the time. It’s really nice! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yams-vs-sweet-potatoes/705186/26 "2014-11-27T02:57:19Z")
> [@seodoa](#): > > No problem! I used to have a Peruvian boyfriend who would cook yuca for me all the time. It’s really nice! Did he bake them? They are available at a grocery store here. ---
**Author:** ![seodoa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@seodoa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seodoa)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yams-vs-sweet-potatoes/705186/27 "2014-11-27T04:06:59Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Did he bake them? They are available at a grocery store here. He would serve them to me baked, boiled, or fried. You can pretty much treat them like they were potatoes. His favorite way to serve them was boiled and chilled with Huancaina sauce, like in [papa a la Huancaina](http://peruvian-cuisine.blogspot.jp/2008/10/recipe-papa-la-huancaina-huancayo-style.html) ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yams-vs-sweet-potatoes/705186/28 "2014-11-27T13:56:33Z")
Thanks again! ---
**Author:** ![HakunaK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/9de0a6/32.png) [@HakunaK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HakunaK)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yams-vs-sweet-potatoes/705186/29 "2014-11-28T17:14:30Z")
> [@seodoa](#): > > He would serve them to me baked, boiled, or fried. You can pretty much treat them like they were potatoes. His favorite way to serve them was boiled and chilled with Huancaina sauce, like in [papa a la Huancaina](http://peruvian-cuisine.blogspot.jp/2008/10/recipe-papa-la-huancaina-huancayo-style.html) Yup - my gf has cooked yucca as well. Great food! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yams-vs-sweet-potatoes/705186.md?page=1)