SSS: According to Deborah Metzger, a reproductive endocrinologist at Stanford, although the wild yam contains bioidentical hormones, the human body does not absorb them well. Therefore wild yam products are not a good choice for HRT. Soy and peanut-based HRTs are more effective.

The yams you find in supermarkets in the USA are really sweet potatoes. The word "yam" comes from similar words in several West African languages meaning "to eat," since yams are such a staple there. "Nyami" is one. African slaves refered to sweet potatoes in the USA as nyami or yami until the word morphed into yam.

True yams have brown, bark-like skin and white flesh. You can find them in the Caribbean and in markets that import Caribbean produce.

Gets confusing, huh?    Live long and be happy.