Hawaiian bread is purple because Hawaiian bread is made with natural, vibrant and purple ingredients, which is often taro root via poi or ube also known as purple yam.
These ingredients are staples in Hawaiian Cuisine, including in Hawaiian bread.
The taro root or via poi, or ube the purple yam add a distinct, light purple color and earthy sweetness to the Hawaiian bread dough.
Taro root has white flesh with purple specks, but when it's cooked and mashed into poi, which is a traditional paste, it turns a light purple hue, which gives the Hawaiian bread it's purple color and unique flavor.
Ube, which is also known as the Filipino purple yam is also often used in Hawaiian bread to give the Hawaiian bread a more vibrant lavender or deep purple color and a sweet, coconut like flavor.
The color purple in the Hawaiian bread comes from natural ingredients and is derived from the plants, instead of using artificial dyes.
The purple color in the Hawaiian bread is also sometimes enhanced by the acidity of the yeast in the dough.
It can look unappetizing and look like it's moldy, but the purple color in the Hawaiian bread is completely harmless.
When I was first introduced to Hawaiian bread I thought it was bad and was then told that it was just due to the ingredients.
The Hawaiian bread also tastes very good and often better than traditional bread does.