If the new year means a new you, or at least an attempt to eat more healthily, then you'll welcome the news that US health supermarket giant Whole Foods is already on trend, forecasting purple food in its annual trend report,
Purple foods, particularly purple fruits and vegetables are sought after by health-conscious consumers and those in the know, as the vibrant colour indicates a naturally high presence of supposedly health-enhancing antioxidants.
From purple potatoes and carrots, to trusty red cabbage and blueberries, this list of purple foods boasts plenty of nutritional credentials behind the vibrant hues, meaning they are not only a great way of adding colour to a dish, but will help you feel good about eating them too.
12 Purple Fruits and Vegetables
1. Beetroot
Image: Coconut and Berries
Roasted, juiced, spiralised, souped or blended into vegan smoothies, beetroot is a nutritional powerhouse packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. And if that wasn't enough, it's even low in fat.
Beetroot is also great for haute cuisine. Check out this stunning seafood recipe from chef Antimo Merone, at 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana restaurant, for a lobster salad with beetroot puree.
2. Blueberries
Michael Bentley/Flickr
Blueberries have long been recognised as a superfood of the fruit world, catapulting them into the spotlight for those health conscious consumers. High in antioxidants they are delicous eaten in their natural state, or baked into desserts.
Find our recipes for mouth-watering blueberry desserts here.
3. Eggplants
Liz West/Flickr
Eggplants are a versatile vegetable that can be eaten any number of ways. They are full of vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre, and have the potential to lower cholesterol and help manage weight.
Try our 5 easy eggplant dishes – perfect for a weekday dinner.
4. Figs
Figs are rich in natural health benefiting phyto-nutrients, anti-oxidants and vitamins. Dried figs are a great concentrated source of minerals and vitamins.
Find out more in the A-Z of figs – they were one of Cleopatra's favourite fruits.
5. Purple Potato
Sukaina Rajabali
Purple potatoes are reported to contain four times as many antioxidants as Russet potatoes thanks to anthocyanin, the pigment that creates the purple colour in the potatoes' skin and flesh.
Turn those purple potatoes into tasty chips with this recipe for beet and potato chips with rock salt and rosemary.
6. Red Cabbage
Red cabbage is another staple of the veg world packed with antioxidants, nutrients, vitamins and minerals, as well as dietary fibre.
Discover 6 ways of cooking with red cabbage today.
7. Purple Cauliflower
MASHA/Flickr
Tired of white cauliflower? try purple cauliflower rich in vitamin C with a half cup of florets providing nearly half of ones daily requirement for vitamin C. Purple cauliflower also packs a nutritional punch when it comes to fibre, vitamin A, folate, calcium and potassium and selenium. All good news when it comes to staying healthy.
8. Purple Asparagus
PROKurman Communications/Flickr
This asparagus is so sweet it can be eaten raw, meaning you get to enjoy all those health enhancing antioxidants to their full potential.
9. Blackberries
Steve Lodefink/Flickr
The rich colour of blackberries is a giveaway that they have some of the highest antioxidant levels of all fruits. Rich in bioflavonoids and Vitamin C, they are low on sodium and calories. Enjoy them naturally to benefit from their nutritional goodness.
10. Purple Carrots
Deidre Woollard/Flickr
Believe it or not, a few hundred years ago, all cultivated carrots were purple; the orange carrot wasn't cultivated until the late 16th century. It's unsurprising to see purple carrots sprouting up again given their stunning colour coupled with their anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants.
11. Acai Berries
The açaí berry is rich in fibre, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins A, B, C and E, mineral salts (calcium, iron, phosphorus and potassium), essential unsaturated fatty acids (Omega 3, 6 and 9), and more antioxidants than red grapes!
Find out more fascinating facts about acai, from A-Z here.
12. Purple Corn
Eye-catching purple corn contains a variety of phytonutrients (plant nutrients) including massive amounts of phenolics and anthocyanins, suggesting they are high in anti-oxidants ... essentially helping us to stay healthy.
Try this recipe for purple corn tortillas.
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire