yams bane is a yam the same as a sweet potato? NO, IT IS NOT. a sweet potato is a small tuber found in north america whereas a yam is an african tuber weighing in over 2 kilos on average. capable of sustaining a family for several weeks. 000124 ... gwyllynne I yam what I yam and that's all that I yam! -Popeye 000816 ... hsg yams apparently aren't the same as yesterday's yams.. 100122 what's it to you? who go blather from