Eat your Purples
People seem to jump on bandwagons for all types of diet and health fads, but there is reason to suggest there may be health benefits associated with the colours in food. It's been drummed into us to 'eat our greens', but now should we be 'eating our purples'?
Blue/purple fruits and vegetables are rich in flavanoids which help make our blood vessels healthier. This regulates our cardiovascular system and keeps us healthier and lowers the risk of heart disease. Flavonoids are also useful if you are a little bit forgetful. They reverse the short-term memory loss associated with ageing, which happens to us all. They also improve our motor skills and are believed to slow down the first stages of cancer development.
Purple foods also contain health-promoting phytochemicals including anthocyanins and phenolics, which are known for their antioxidant and anti-ageing benefits.
The aubergine is the French word for eggplant, they grow from hanging vines and are a member of the nightshade family, which relates them to tomatoes, potatoes and sweet peppers.
