Both are found in Okinawa and they can have a similar appearanceвЂ¦ but taro is much whiter than beni imo, does not have the same texture at all and most importantly, does not have the same taste.Д«eni imo is extremely sweet(for a potato), which is why it is used mainly as a dessert ingredient.

Also, a single potato contains four times the daily dose of vitamin A needed by an adult, and half the vitamin C requirement per day.Д«e careful though, donвЂ™t confuse Beni imo, which is a purple sweet potato вЂ“ with taro (Sato imo in Japanese), which is a different type of tuber. First, it is very rich in natural fibers. Well, in addition to having this exceptional purple color вЂ“ which comes from the same molecule giving the blueish-purple color to blueberries and red cabbage вЂ“ the Okinawa purple sweet potato is officially recognized as aвЂќsuperfoodвЂќ nowadays. Its deep purple flesh makes it a quite unusual food and an excellent culinary souvenir of the Okinawan island!ДЄnyway, whatвЂ™s for sure is that the purple sweet potato also called Beni imo is a real вЂњsuperfoodвЂќ by todayвЂ™s standards. ItвЂ™s even often called YomitanвЂ™s sweet potato. The small Yomitan village is where the beni imo originally comes from. It is Impossible to ignore its presence in Okinawa: beni imo is the islandвЂ™s main celebrity: various desserts and the purple sweet potato ice cream can be found on almost every corner of the prefectureвЂ™s capital city, Naha. This purple sweet potato ice cream is traditionally sold in almost every grocery store in Japan in individual small boxes for 250 yen (about $3), which is the normal price for economical ice cream there. Purple sweet potatoes are often consumed in autumn and winter for their creamy consistency, sugary taste and earthy feel they bring to your taste buds. Murasaki Imo (in Japanese murasaki means purple and imo potato) is a type of sweet potato which is very popular in Okinawa, because its color is beautifully deep purple and adds quite an impact to your dishes. There are different varieties of sweet potatoes grown in Japan. WeвЂ™ll get to the easy purple sweet potato ice cream recipe further down below, but first letвЂ™s get to know a little bit more about this exotic purple vegetable and itвЂ™s health benefits. So, make sure you check out this delicious and healthy Japanese treat.

Have you ever tried purple sweet potato ice cream before? If you havenвЂ™t yet, youвЂ™re really missing out.

Murasaki sweet potato benefits