Purple Power!

There is no one fruit or vegetable which is the key to health. However, each colour provides different nutrition benefits which help your body to thrive. This blog is dedicated to the benefits of fruits and vegetables which are purple, deep red, and blue in colour.

The fruits and vegetables which are deep red, blue, and purple in colour include produce like purple cabbage, purple carrots, red onions, purple sweet potato, purple corn, black grapes, plums, figs, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, figs, cherries as well as plums. These fruits and vegetables contain anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are powerful water-soluble flavonoid, which is a type of antioxidant which has anti-inflammatory properties which help to remove excess free radicals which can cause damage and disease to the cells of your body. Specifically, anthocyanins are linked to benefits to your heart and brain health.

Health benefits of anthocyanins include:

1. Improving the health of your gut microbiome. A healthy gut microbiome is essential for overall health and has links to almost every organ in your body (2,3).
2. Fighting oxidative stress.
3. Protect the health of your liver (1).
4. Supports the health of your kidneys (1).
5. Improves the health of your bones (1).
6. Reduces your chances of developing obesity (1).
7. Improves how your body uses and regulates glucose and fat metabolism (1).
8. Reducing cell damage from excess free radicals.
9. Reducing your risk to chronic diseases such as type two diabetes, heart disease, and lung, breast, colorectal and gastric cancers (1,8).
10. Supports your vision to work optimally (9)
11. Anthocyanins support optimal functioning of your brain and support your memory to work at its best. Research suggests that anthocyanins may slow the age-related decline of your brain and reduce your risk of developing dementia. Anthocyanins may also promote brain function for those who have mild to moderate dementia (5).
12. Anthocyanins may improve your overall health and longevity (2).
13. Anthocyanins may also support your mental health. Research suggests that these mighty flavonoids may improve your mood, reduce feelings of stress, and reduce your risk of developing depression (6).

Some delicious ways to include dark red, blue and purple foods include:

1. Adding figs and berries to your overnight oats.
2. Enjoying a smoothie which includes blueberries, raspberries, cherries, or blackberries.
3. Swap out grated orange carrot for a purple carrot in your cheese and salad sandwich.
4. Enjoy a summer salad which includes red onion.
5. Snack on a plum or a handful of black grapes.
6. Add purple cabbage to your weekly stir-fry.
7. Top a slice of wholegrain toast with cottage cheese, cucumber and red onion.
8. Top a wholegrain cracker with tuna, red onion, pickles, tomato and jalapeno.

Take home message: It is important to ‘eat the rainbow’ of fruits and vegetables to optimise your health and wellbeing. One of these colours which provide powerful health benefits is the colours purple, blue and deep red. Are you adding this colour to your week?

If you are unsure how to create a balanced diet to optimise your health, reach out to Feed Your Future Dietetics today!

References:

1. Panchal SK, John OD, Mathai ML, Brown L. Anthocyanins in Chronic Diseases: The Power of Purple. Nutrients. 2022 May 23;14(10):2161. doi: 10.3390/nu14102161. PMID: 35631301; PMCID: PMC9142943.
2. Hair R, Sakaki JR, Chun OK. Anthocyanins, Microbiome and Health Benefits in Aging. Molecules. 2021 Jan 21;26(3):537. doi: 10.3390/molecules26030537. PMID: 33494165; PMCID: PMC7864342.
3. Wang B, Tang X, Mao B, Zhang Q, Tian F, Zhao J, Cui S, Chen W. Anti-aging effects and mechanisms of anthocyanins and their intestinal microflora metabolites. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2024;64(8):2358-2374. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2022.2123444. Epub 2022 Sep 21. PMID: 36128763.
4. Khoo HE, Azlan A, Tang ST, Lim SM. Anthocyanidins and anthocyanins: colored pigments as food, pharmaceutical ingredients, and the potential health benefits. Food Nutr Res. 2017 Aug 13;61(1):1361779. doi: 10.1080/16546628.2017.1361779. PMID: 28970777; PMCID: PMC5613902.
5. Kent K, Charlton K, Roodenrys S, Batterham M, Potter J, Traynor V, Gilbert H, Morgan O, Richards R. Consumption of anthocyanin-rich cherry juice for 12 weeks improves memory and cognition in older adults with mild-to-moderate dementia. Eur J Nutr. 2017 Feb;56(1):333-341. doi: 10.1007/s00394-015-1083-y. Epub 2015 Oct 19. PMID: 26482148.
6. Mestrom A, Charlton KE, Thomas SJ, Larkin TA, Walton KL, Elgellaie A, Kent K. Higher anthocyanin intake is associated with lower depressive symptoms in adults with and without major depressive disorder. Food Sci Nutr. 2023 Nov 22;12(3):2202-2209. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.3850. PMID: 38455191; PMCID: PMC10916648.
7. Hazafa A, Rehman KU, Jahan N, Jabeen Z. The Role of Polyphenol (Flavonoids) Compounds in the Treatment of Cancer Cells. Nutr Cancer. 2020;72(3):386-397. doi: 10.1080/01635581.2019.1637006. Epub 2019 Jul 9. PMID: 31287738.
8. Hazafa A, Rehman KU, Jahan N, Jabeen Z. The Role of Polyphenol (Flavonoids) Compounds in the Treatment of Cancer Cells. Nutr Cancer. 2020;72(3):386-397. doi: 10.1080/01635581.2019.1637006. Epub 2019 Jul 9. PMID: 31287738.
9. Nomi Y, Iwasaki-Kurashige K, Matsumoto H. Therapeutic Effects of Anthocyanins for Vision and Eye Health. Molecules. 2019 Sep 11;24(18):3311. doi: 10.3390/molecules24183311. PMID: 31514422; PMCID: PMC6767261.