Top 5 Purple Vegetables To Eat

Color is always the key to each type of vegetable and fruit. The pigments known as anthocyanins give purple fruits and vegetables their health benefits. Similar to other phytonutrients, they are not mandatory for bodily functions but may assist in preventing cell damage and diseases. 

 

Purple vegetables 

We'll show you the most valuable purple vegetables, which contain nearly all of the necessary vitamins and minerals.

 

1. Purple Cauliflower 

Purple cauliflower has the same nutritional profile as traditional white cauliflower, but purple cauliflower has a few extra advantages for your health. 

 

Anthocyanins

Eating anthocyanin-rich foods may help you regulate your weight, lessen your risk for Type 2 diabetes and heart disease, avoid eye diseases, and boost cognitive function. Furthermore, anthocyanins reduce cancer risk. 

 

It's worth mentioning that cooking cauliflower deteriorates anthocyanins, so you might consider eating them fresh without exposing cauliflower to heat.

 

Glucoraphanin

 

Glucoraphanin is a kind of glucosinolate that has been linked to cancer prevention. Researchers found evidence that purple cauliflower contains glucoraphanin. 

 

Myrosinase, an enzyme found in vegetable tissue, converts the glucoraphanin you find in purple cauliflower into the chemical sulforaphane as you chew. These sulforaphane derivatives may block enzymes called histone deacetylases, a family of enzymes that promote cancer cell survival while leaving healthy cells unharmed.

 

2. Purple Carrots

Even though carrots of all colours are good for your health, the purple one has a lot more antioxidants than the others.

 

 Carotenoids

Carotenoids, which give orange foods their colour, are also present in purple carrots. Carotenoids and anthocyanins are two types of antioxidants that help keep eyes healthy. In particular, the carotenoid beta-carotene is converted by the body to vitamin A, which is beneficial to vision.

 

Anthocyanins

 

Similarly to purple cauliflower, purple carrots include anthocyanins and flavonoids. We mentioned above the health benefits that anthocyanins offer your body.

 

3. Eggplant

 

Known as aubergines in Europe and brinjal in India and Asia, eggplant is a popular vegetable across the globe because of its peculiar texture and somewhat bitter flavor. But what makes eggplant healthy?

 

Fiber

Because of its high fibre content (2.4 g), eggplant may be beneficial for digestive health. Dietary fibre is a fraction of carbohydrates that cannot be absorbed by the digestive system. Fibre regulates the GIT. As a result, the regulation of eating, digesting, absorbing, and metabolising food all helps keep the intestines in order.

Fiber-rich diets have been linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Other studies have shown that diets rich in fibre may help reduce the likelihood of developing diabetes and certain forms of cancer.

Nasunin 

It has been suggested that the antioxidant qualities of eggplants might be beneficial to cardiovascular health. Thanks to Nasunin, which is a powerful antioxidant that is good for your cardiovascular system.
Moreover, Nasunin may assist in preventing damage to the membranes of brain cells that is caused by free radicals. Additionally, nasunin assists in the movement of waste products and nutrients into and out of cells.

 

4. Purple Onion

Purple onions are herbaceous plants with big, rounded bulbs and an outer layer that is dark purple. It has amazing compounds, which are quercetin and sulfoxides.

Quercetin

Among all the types of onions, the purple one contains a very special antioxidant, which is. The latter has been shown to protect against cancer and heart disease. Additionally, as a result of its ability to inhibit histamine production, quercetin has anti-inflammatory and antihistamine properties.

Sulfoxides

Onions contain sulfur-containing chemicals called sulfoxides, it was found that sulfoxides may have anticlotting, antibacterial, and anti-asthma effects. Whenever an onion is sliced or crushed, sulfoxides are released. When taken as an extract, they have been demonstrated to help healthy individuals have a better night's sleep.

5. Purple Corn

Botanically speaking, purple corn (sometimes known as "blue corn") and common table corn are the same species. By a strange quirk of nature, however, this kind of maize yields kernels that are among the most intensely purple of any plant.

Lutein and Zeaxanthin

It is thought that the carotenoid pigments lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin in the macula stop blue light from reaching the deeper structures of the retina. This lowers the risk of light-induced oxidative damage that could lead to macular degeneration in the long run.

References

1. Kar, Sourav, Souvik Kundu, and Dipika Mal. "Nutritional Quality of Colored Vegetables: A." Nutraceuticals and Food 6.9 (2021): 37.

2. Kapusta-Duch, Joanna, et al. "Health-promoting properties of fresh and processed purple cauliflower." Sustainability 11.15 (2019): 4008.

3. Alam, Md, et al. "Potential health benefits of anthocyanins in oxidative stress related disorders." Phytochemistry Reviews 20.4 (2021): 705-749.

4. Anderson, James W., et al. "Health benefits of dietary fiber." Nutrition reviews 67.4 (2009): 188-205.

5. Das, S., et al. "Cardioprotective properties of raw and cooked eggplant (Solanum melongena L)." Food & function 2.7 (2011): 395-399.

6. Nakayama, Yuya, et al. "Effects of onion extract containing concentrated cysteine sulfoxides on sleep quality: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study." Food Science and Biotechnology 29.12 (2020): 1755-1762.