Despite its name, the sweet potato is not related to the potato. Sweet Potatoes belong to the morning glory family, while potatoes are members of the Solanaceae family, which also includes tomatoes, red peppers and eggplant. Sweet potato are tuberous roots and potatoes are actually swollen stems. Despite a physical similarity, sweet potatoes and yams are not related either. However, most yams marketed in the United States are actually sweet potato, with a relatively moist texture and orange flesh. Widely established throughout the world, the sweet potato is a favorite staple of many cultures and is an ingredient in many ethnic cuisines. Sweet potato has become more popular in the U.S. in recent years with consumption increasing nearly 42 percent between 2000 and 2016, reaching 7.2 pounds per capita. Growing consumer demand for sweet potato may be due to the promotion of the tuberâ??s health benefits. To find out more about our Sweet Potato please contact sales@crescoproduce.com.