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

FAQs

What is the history of Japanese sweet potatoes? ›

Introduction of Satsuma Imo (Sweet Potato) to Japan

This sweet potato is not native to Japan. Originally it came from Central South America. Then in 1605, it came to Ryukyu island (Modern day Okinawa ) from Philippines by way of the China. About 100 years later, in 1705, it started to spread widely in Kagoshima.

Japanese sweet potatoes can be swapped in for orange-fleshed sweet potatoes in just about any recipe or application, such as steaming, boiling, roasting, frying, mashing, and pureeing. They make excellent sweet potato fries and bake up well whole or incorporated into casseroles and gratins.

They're simultaneously drier and creamier than orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, which means that when you roast them at high heat (cubes, wedges, circles, or halves, simply coated with olive oil and salt and cooked between 425 and 450°), their edges get unbelievably crispy and burnished, belying the pudding-like centers.

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.

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.

Sweet potatoes, which originated in Central or South America, were first cultivated in Peru, perhaps as early as 2500 BCE. Columbus took the plant home with him in the late 15th century, after which it spread around the world. The exception to this timeline, as we mentioned earlier, is Polynesia.

Typically in Japan, we enjoy yaki imo as it is. It makes a hearty yet healthy snack, but you can still serve it as a side as a part of a meal. We eat the skin of Japanese sweet potatoes. That's why it's important to scrub and wash the sweet potatoes well before you bake them.

Ibaraki Prefecture is the largest producer of dried sweet potatoes due to the chilly winds blowing through, traditionally used as a critical step in drying the sweet potato. 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.

Yes, you can eat Japanese sweet potatoes every day. They are a rich source of essential nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants, which makes them one of the best vegetables to eat daily. However, as with any food, they should be consumed as part of a balanced diet to ensure nutritional diversity.

Sweet Potatoes and Health

Sweet potatoes with orange flesh are richest in beta-carotene. Sweet potatoes with purple flesh are richer in anthocyanins. Beta-carotene and anthocyanins are naturally occurring plant “phyto” chemicals that give vegetables their bright colors.

What are some fun facts about Japanese sweet potatoes? ›

Capable of growing even in poor or depleted soils and highly nutritious to boot, sweet potatoes have proven time and again to be a key source of nutrients whenever Japan has been hit by food shortages. Sweet potatoes with reddish-purple skin and yellow flesh are the most widespread varieties in Japan.

Roasted Japanese Sweet Potatoes: A Classic Delight

A simple drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of salt, and some time in the oven result in a comforting dish that's both rustic and refined. The caramelized edges and creamy insides make for an irresistible combination that's perfect as a side or a standalone snack.

Just one sweet potato gives you 102% of the vitamin A you need each day. 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 beta-carotene, and their excessive consumption can lead to hypervitaminosis A (vitamin A toxicity), in which excess vitamin A accumulates in the liver. Although it is not considered harmful, the color of the skin and nails may turn orange. Additionally, sweet potatoes are rich in carbohydrates.

If you enjoy sweet potatoes, you can absolutely enjoy them daily. However, eating multiple sweet potatoes every day could cause a harmless condition called carotenodermia, where your skin turns yellow-orange. You may also want to be cautious about your sweet potato intake if you have a history of kidney stones.

The Japanese yam is native to regions of China and Japan, areas that are much colder than most yam cultivars can survive. Its first known cultivation can be dated back to 50,000 BC. It was introduced to Europe during the 19th Century potato blight as an alternative to the white fleshed potato.

Murasaki sweet potatoes (also known as Japanese sweet potatoes) first originated in Louisiana, developed by the Louisiana State University's Sweet Potato Research Station in the early 2000s. Today they are primarily grown in California.

Today Japanese sweet potatoes can be found at specialty grocers and farmers markets and are grown in California, North Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Louisiana of the United States.