Let’s clear up one of the most common food mix-ups — the difference between a yam and a sweet potato. You’ve probably been lied to at the grocery store without even knowing it. True Yams – Native to Africa and Asia
– Rough, bark-like skin with white, purple, or reddish flesh
– Dry and starchy, not sweet
– Usually found in international or specialty markets Sweet Potatoes – Native to Central and South America
– Smooth skin, can be tan, orange, or purple
– Moist and sweet with orange, white, or purple flesh
– The one you actually find in U.S. grocery stores So What’s the Deal? In the U.S., orange-fleshed sweet potatoes are often labeled as “yams” to tell them apart from the firmer, pale-fleshed sweet potatoes. It’s just a marketing term — not a botanical fact. Bottom line: If you’re buying it at a regular store, you’re getting a sweet potato — not a true yam. Period.