Purple foods range from light purple to almost black-purple. Purple foods contain anthocyanins (a type of antioxidant). Anthocyanins can help support the cardiovascular system, prevent or inhibit the growth of cancer, enhance cognition, acts as an anti-inflammatory, increase insulin resistance, and can help reverse UV damage. On top of the anthocyanins, these foods are generally packed with a bunch of other vitamins and minerals that you want in your diet like Vitamin C, folate, magnesium, etc.
Purple foods are only found in fruits, vegetables, and grains. What I'll do is give you a big list of awesome purple foods, then I'll follow up with some recipes. I'd make them myself, but I am severely limited in what I can and can't eat at this time.
Fruits, Vegetables, & Grains (a list to start with)
Blackberries Blueberries Mulberries Elderberries Black currants Acai berries Plums/prunes Figs Grapes Amaranth Black Runner Beans Black Turtle Beans Black Garbanzo Beans Purple Kohlrabi Purple Bell Pepper | Eggplant Cabbage Beets Red onions Black rice Purple potatoes Purple sweet potatoes Blue corn Dakota Black Corn Hopi Purple Corn Montana Lavender Corn Purple Kale Red Orach Acai Purple Barley | Purple cauliflower Purple carrots Purple brussels sprouts Purple Asparagus Black Hungarian Hot Peppers Buena Mulata Hot Peppers Purple Tomatillo Various purple or black Tomato Utrecht Blue Wheat |
Recipes:
What is not listed? Salads, hot sauces made with purple peppers, Mexican food with black beans, how to grow and harvest your own purple grains, etc. If you really enjoy cooking and baking, or if you want to impress friends with a dinner party, hit up those purple foods.
If you are interested in growing some purple foods, check out the selection over at Baker Creek Seeds (rareseeds.com)
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