Tropical yam

About tropical yam
The sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), especially those with orange flesh, has traditionally been referred to as a yam in parts of the United States and Canada, but it is not a true yam. Yam (family Dioscoreaceae) are perennial herbaceous vines cultivated for the consumption of their starchy tubers in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Oceania. Tropical yams are rough in texture, yet they have a moist flesh and vary in colors. Yams are usually found in tropical and hot climates and they are a basic food in many islands of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Still, the oldest yams were found in regions like southwestern USA, the highlands of Mexico, Central America, and the Andes to Argentina, Uruguay and chile. Yams are used, besides for culinary purposes, as medical elements, as they seem to calm headaches and have benefic results if added on scars. Yams are also very nutritional aliments and they are considered to be highly digestive, rich and consistent, at the same time, as they contain a large amount of water, salts and carbohydrates.

Tropical yams are part of numerous regional cuisines and they are considered an economical food, which can be prepared in various ways: mashed, fried or simply baked and served instead of breads.