The sweet potato is a root vegetable, and similar to other root vegetables it is a good source of potassium. Sweet potatoes are not related to potatoes (Solanaceae family) or yams (Dioscoreaceae family); sweet potatoes are members of the Convolvulacea family.
Sweet potatoes are nutrition gold in so far as they are good sources of fiber, pyridoxine, niacin, pantothenic acid, thiamine, manganese, magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, carotenoids (e.g., beta-carotene), copper, calcium, iron, and, as mentioned above, potassium. These nutrients allow sweet potatoes to be anti-inflammatory, research supports their role in stabilizing blood sugar, and some research points to sweet potatoes boosting brain function in animal studies.