11 Recipes Featuring Japanese Sweet Potatoes, a Staple for Some of the Longest-Living People in the World (2024)

FAQs

What is the best way to eat Japanese sweet potatoes? ›

My go-to way of eating a Japanese sweet potato is slathered with avocado, sprinkled with coarse sea salt, and then topped with steamed greens or broccoli and fresh sunflower sprouts. HEAVEN! But there are so many ways to enjoy this tuber packed with antioxidants, vitamins A and C, fiber, and potassium.

Best of all they contain all the essential amino acids that our bodies need. Are Japanese sweet potatoes healthier than regular sweet potatoes? All varieties of sweet potatoes are good for you but these purple-skin tubers do have higher concentrations of specific vitamins and nutrients.

Okinawan Sweet Potato vs. Japanese Sweet Potato

Unlike the light skin and purple flesh of the Okinawan sweet potato, Japanese sweet potatoes (locally known as satsuma imo) have reddish-purple skin and light-colored flesh, which can either be yellow or white. Both varieties also differ in texture.

Purple sweet potatoes have contributed to the longevity of people in Okinawa, Japan, Dan Buettner says. One of the most visually striking recipes in the book is made from purple sweet potatoes, which Buettner considers a key longevity staple for people in the blue zone of Okinawa.

Sweet potato skins are both edible and highly nutritious.

They are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals that have health-promoting properties.

Purple Sweet Potato Nutritional Information

However, Okinawa sweet potatoes contain 150% more antioxidants than blueberries, which makes them a powerful cancer-fighting superfood. These purple sweet potatoes have plenty of other nutritional benefits too.

Organic Japanese Sweet Potato at Whole Foods Market.

Sweet potatoes can be part of a healthy food plan when you live with diabetes, however, you need to eat them in moderation. Certain types of sweet potatoes may even be beneficial to help you manage your health. These include Japanese sweet potatoes and purple sweet potatoes.

Okinawans typically serve sweet potatoes steamed, which perfectly renders their creamy texture and sweet flavor. The best places to find purple sweet potatoes are Asian markets, but they are also sold through many online grocers.

Japanese sweet potatoes can last for up to a month when stored properly. Store them in a cool, dark, dry place, such as in a closed pantry or cupboard—if Japanese sweet potatoes are exposed to light, they'll sprout.

What is the healthiest sweet potato? ›

Purple sweet potatoes are a good source of beta-carotene but are an even richer source of anthocyanin pigments, which act as antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation and boost your immune system. Purple sweet potatoes have about three times more anthocyanins than the average blueberry.

While the dried sweet potato can be eaten raw, it can also be toasted to help bring out the nutty aroma and provide a sweeter and softer texture.

Vitamins and Minerals

This helps keep your eyes healthy as well as your immune system, your body's defense against germs. It's also good for your reproductive system and organs like your heart and kidneys. Sweet potatoes contain: B vitamins.

Those who ate highly processed meat, poultry and seafood products showed the highest and most consistent increased death risk, with sugar sweetened and artificially sweetened beverages, desserts and breakfast foods coming in at a close second.

The researcher eats a plant-rich diet that includes seafood three times a week. Fish is one source of protein, though his main source comes from legumes, including chickpeas or lentils or black beans. He also recommends lots of whole grains, vegetables and generous amounts of olive oil — 3 tablespoons per day.

Japanese sweet potatoes are nutritious and rich in a range of vitamins and minerals. Eating sweet potatoes regularly is a great way to improve your daily nutrition and vitamin intake. For example, sweet potatoes are high in dietary fiber, a necessary aspect for healthy digestion.

Of course, you can peel it before you eat, but don't forget that the skin has plenty of nutrients! If you wrap the sweet potatoes in foil, it's much easier to eat compared to no-wrapped sweet potatoes.

Pairing Japanese sweet potatoes with ingredients like tangy goat cheese, balsamic vinegar, or aromatic herbs results in dishes that playfully dance across your taste buds. These unique pairings exemplify the sweet potato's versatility and ability to harmonize with a wide array of flavors.

Because they're a little drier and starchier than other varieties, Japanese sweet potatoes have a distinct creaminess and a fluffier, lighter texture, a little more like a regular baking potato than a standard orange sweet potato. They also have a particularly sweet yet, subtle flavor compared to many other varieties.