The Nutritional Value of Yams
What are often called "yams" in the U.S. are really orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. Light-yellow, starchy yams are available internationally and in specialized markets in the U.S. The softer, sweeter yam, alternatively called the "sweet potato," appears on holiday dinner tables smothered under sticky blankets of marshmallows and brown sugar. African slaves in the U.S. were the first to call these sweet potatoes "nyami" or "yams" because these tubers looked like the yellow-fleshed, starchy yams indigenous to Africa. Whatever you call them, fresh cooked yams make nutritious dish.
Calories
One cup of fresh cooked yams has 244 calories, of which 227 come from complex carbohydrates, 12.5 come from protein, 4 from sugar, and 1 comes from fat, primarily polyunsaturated. One cup of canned yams, packed in syrup, contains 241 calories, of which 102 calories come from sugar.
Carbohydrates
A 1 cup serving of fresh cooked yams contains 58 grams of carbohydrates, of which 1 gram is sugar and 8.2 grams is dietary fiber. Canned in syrup, one cup of cooked yams contains about 55 grams of carbohydrates, of which 25 grams is sugar, the equivalent of 5 teaspoons of refined sugar. The USDA recommends that adults following a 2,000 calorie daily diet limit their refined sugar intake to no more than 40 grams, or the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of sugar. Fresh-cooked yams are the better alternative for those concerned about their blood sugar levels.
Vitamin-Rich
Fresh-cooked yams are a rich source of vitamin C, and a 1 cup serving provides nearly 20 percent of the recommended daily allowance. Yams also are rich in calcium, providing 33 percent of the daily allowance in a cup-size portion.
Fiber
Nutritionists recommend that an adult following a 2,000 daily diet should aim to consume at least 25 grams of fiber each day. One serving of fresh cooked yams provides just over 8 grams of dietary fiber.
Sodium
Fresh cooked yams are nearly sodium-free, containing less than 1 percent of the recommended daily intake. Canned yams packed in syrup contain triple the amount of sodium in a one cup serving.
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