Purple reigns

When it comes to your five a day, colour counts, says KIM JONES

WHILE most of us grew up being told to eat our greens, it might be time our diets hit a purple patch.

That’s because foods of that hue contain anthocyanins – a type of natural plant pigment which packs such a powerful nutritional punch that many experts say we should be upping our intake of purple produce to two a day.

“The colour of food is often what makes it so healthy,” says Helen Burgess, nutritionist at littlecooksco.co.uk. “When we eat lots of colours, we give our bodies a wide variety of nutrients.

“The anthocyanins found in purple food are members of the flavonoid group of phytochemicals, which have been linked to better brain, cardiovascular, circulatory and gut health, as well as having powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.”

So what should you be putting into your trolley this week?

PURPLE GRAPES

“These are particularly high in an antioxidant called resveratrol, which studies have shown can lower blood sugar and protect against heart disease and cancer,” says Helen.

Plus, studies have found that a daily glass of purple grape juice can improve memory function in adults with mild cognitive impairment and reduce blood pressure in hypertensive adults.

BLACKCURRANTS

Blackcurrants can boost immunity. “They have a unique and high combination of red and blue anthocyanins – not found in other fruits – that activate the human body’s naturally occurring anti-oxidant and other defence systems, allowing it to better handle everyday stressors,” says Mike Wakeman, clinical pharmacist from New Zealand blackcurrant supplements curranz. com.

PURPLE CARROTS

These colourful carrots have stronger antioxidant activity than their orange cousins and contain higher levels of lutein too – and this carotenoid can help decrease the risk of agerelated macular degeneration and cataracts.

BLUEBERRIES

Eating a 150g bowl of blueberries could cut the risk of cardiovascular disease in at-risk overweight people by up to 15%, according to research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The superfood helped improve vascular function and arterial stiffness.

BEETROOT

Beetroot is bursting with goodfornitrates. Doctors at St Bartholomew’s and the Royal London Hospital found that drinking 500ml of beetroot juice helped lower high blood pressure in patients. They believe it’s the nitrate in beetroot that causes blood vessels to dilate and improve blood flow.

Beetroot may also be better at boosting your stamina than a high-energy drink. Researchers at Exeter University found that people could exercise for 16% longer after drinking beetroot juice.

BLACKBERRIES

According to an “antioxidant food database” compiled by educational establishments including The University of Oslo, blackberries contain among the highest anti-oxidants of all berries. That means they’re extra efficient at eliminating free radicals in the body, which contribute to most chronic diseases.

PLUMS

As well as keeping you regular, prunes are packed with antioxidants. In fact, researchers at Tufts University, Boston, found that prunes were better than any other fruits at soaking up the free radicals in the body, which can lead to cancer, heart disease – and even wrinkles.

They may even help with osteoporosis. An Oklahoma State University study found that post-menopausal women who ate around 10 prunes a day showed signs of improved bone mineral density. Prunes contain potassium and boron, thought to help in bone formation.