question of sweet tatties......

[jimpierce7]

here awhile back I read an article about sweet potatoes and yams. It said something to the effect that here in the U.S. stores they got it backwards and that they aren't even related to each other. In other words, what they call sweet potatoes are really yams and the "garnet yams" are really sweet potatoes? Anybody else read that or know? The reason I ask is what I know to be sweet potatoes they call yams in the store. This rooky cook was a little taken back the first time I shopped for the fids and cracked open a s.p. and it was white inside?! or maybe I am just totally confused and clueless! Wouldn't be the first time.

[Mammabird]

I would sure like an answer to that question also because I recently read somewhere that while sweet potatoes have high amounts of vitamin A, yams do not. I have also seen in my grocery store "Yams/Sweet Potatoes" as if they were one and the same.

[The Outlaw]

What read is true. Our sweet potato is a member of the deadly nightshade family. The South American and African yam is from a different family (I can't remember the name). The one you want to offer is the dark orange sweet potato. All of the dark orange and yellow veggies are high in vitamin A.