So, what are yams and sweet potatoes exactly? Yams are a type of starchy vegetable that's native to Africa and Asia, with a rough, scaly skin and a starchier, drier flesh. In contrast, sweet potatoes are a type of root vegetable that's native to the Americas, with a smoother skin and a sweeter, softer flesh.
Imagine you're at a grocery store, and you see a sign that says "yams" - but when you take a closer look, the vegetables underneath are actually sweet potatoes! This happens more often than you think, and it's usually because the store is using the terms interchangeably (even though they're not). It's like calling a carrot a parrot - they're just not the same thing!
