There are few things that are visually more appealing than a fresh purple plum or a bowl of blueberries picked straight off the bush. They exude purple power and mouthwatering goodness. But their ability to fight disease has become even more impressive, and with good reason.
Purple Power: Pigments That Fight Disease
Purple foods get their unique colour from phytochemicals (natural plant chemicals) that belong to the flavonoid family (a group of chemicals that give plants their colour). Within the flavonoid family are individual members such as anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, and resveratrol. Purple power can also come from other pigments (not flavonoids) such as betalain (found in beetroot) and some carotenoids. Lycopene is a carotenoid that gives some fruits and vegetables their reddish – purple colour.
Purple Fights Inflammation
Inflammation is the body’s defence against wear and tear and injury. It occurs as the body attempts to heal itself after an injury, repair tissue damage and repel invaders such as viruses and bacteria. External inflammation is usually seen as red, swollen skin around the affected area, which might also be hot to the touch. Pain is also a likely symptom.
There are two kinds of inflammation: acute and chronic. Acute inflammation occurs after an injury, infection or surgery, and the tissue around the injury site is red and swollen. This type of inflammation usually only lasts a few days until the injury heals.
Chronic inflammation lasts much longer and is frequently a response to lifestyle factors such as poor diet, stress, smoking, alcohol use, and lack of exercise. Chronic inflammation can cause serious diseases such as heart attack, diabetes, cancer and autoimmune disorders in the long term.
Purple pigments are effective at lowering inflammation levels. They contain some of the highest concentrations of antioxidants found in foods. Purple power is also well known for its ability to heal damaged tissue and restore normal function to various systems in the body.
Purple Power Fights Chronic Diseases
In the last decade or so, researchers have discovered that purple pigments such as anthocyanins and resveratrol are effective against chronic diseases. Eating purple foods on a regular basis provides protection against various types of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and age-related eye conditions. Eating purple foods regularly helps to:
- Manage insulin levels, making them a useful tool in the management of obesity and diabetes.
- Protect the brain from inflammation that causes strokes and degenerative brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease
- Protect against free radical damage caused by the oxidation of fats in the body
- Prevent cancer from developing
- Slow the progression of cancer that has already formed
- Protect the eyes from age-related conditions such as macular degeneration
What Does It Mean For Your Health?
It’s easy to get confused with the technical terms and complex language used by researchers and the medical profession. But in simple terms, the purple colours in food are good for your health. Eating purple foods regularly can protect you from diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart attack. It can also help to protect your eyes and skin from the effects of ageing.
In addition, eating purple foods can help your body to heal if you are already experiencing illness, and they can be useful in helping to lose weight.
Purple Power: Foods To Include In Your Diet
Some of the great purple food choices to include in your diet are:
- Blueberries
- Grapes
- Purple cauliflower
- Purple carrots
- Plums
- Kale
- Purple corn
- Purple potatoes
- Figs
- Purple artichoke
- Blackberries
- Elderberries
- Eggplant
- Dark cherries
A Word Of Caution
As with all good things, moderation is the key. Eating a balanced diet that contains many coloured foods is best, and too many antioxidants can have a pro-oxidant effect. This can cause inflammation and sometimes pain, especially in the joints.
Purple Power: Part Of The Good Health Puzzle
Purple power packs a punch when it comes to good health. But it is only part of the picture. Researchers admit that they don’t know how these beneficial compounds interact with each other and with other compounds, so using them in isolation may not provide the health benefits for which they are known. The best approach is to eat a balanced diet, follow the rule of thumb that fresh is best, and eat a wide variety of colourful fruits and vegetables. Your body will thank you for years to come.
References:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1082903/
http://preventcancer.aicr.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=11037
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/effect-purple-foods-brain-2588.html
http://www.eufic.org/article/en/show/spotlight/rid/colours-of-fruits-and-vegetables-and-health/
http://www.livescience.com/52344-inflammation.html