Are Purple Foods Healthier? Unexpected Purple Foods

Holli Ryan RD, LD/N

Many foods including fruits, vegetables, and even some grains, are purple in color are due to naturally occurring pigments called anthocyanidins. Anthocyanidins are polyphenol flavonoids that act as antioxidants in the body. Anthocyanin and cyanidin are two types of anthocyanidins that give foods their purple color. Since the nomenclature can get a bit confusing, here is the flow: Phytonutrients > Polyphenols > Flavonoids > Anthocyanidin > Anthocyanin.

You’ve heard of “going green,” but maybe it’s time to “go purple,” too! According to an August 2017 study in the Journal Food & Nutrition Research, anthocyanins have antidiabetic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, …read more