Did you know that the same pigments that give your favorite fruits and veggies their vibrant colors can also help you fight off diabetes and heart disease?
Foods rich in anthocyanin are believed to have anti-inflammatory properties. If you’re looking for a way to get healthier through your diet, look no further! Let’s learn more about these beneficial compounds.
Foods Rich in Anthocyanin
What Are Anthocyanin?
Anthocyanins are water-soluble pigments found in plants, from fruits & veggies – to even some flowers. They give plants their beautiful colors — from deep purple eggplants and red strawberries to blueberries and blackberries — and are classified as flavonoids, which are part of a larger group of compounds called polyphenols.
How These Delicious Pigments May Help Combat Diabetes And Heart Disease
The Health Benefits Of Anthocyanin
It’s true that anthocyanins may be beneficial for people with diabetes or heart disease; due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, they may help reduce inflammation in the body which is key when it comes to combating these conditions.
Recent studies have shown that the key to keeping diabetes at bay is consuming foods containing anthocyanin, which is a powerful antioxidant.
Not only does anthocyanin improve insulin function and reduce insulin resistance, it can also help lower blood sugar levels as well as reduce the risk of various other diseases.
Recent studies have also found that consuming foods high in anthocyanin content could lower LDL (the so-called “bad”) cholesterol levels. (LDL is involved in transporting cholesterol from the liver to cells, so decreasing its levels could benefit overall health.)
Additionally, anthocyanin has also been shown to promote healthy blood pressure levels, and improve overall cardiovascular health.
Anthocyanin provide more than just a beautiful array of colors to the fruits and vegetables in our diets. With consumption of antioxidants like anthocyanin being an easy step to improving one’s diet, including it may just be the simple way towards better health.
How To Incorporate More Foods Rich in Anthocyanin Into Your Diet
If you’re looking for ways to incorporate more anthocyanin-rich foods into your diet, there are plenty of delicious options! Whether you’re looking for breakfast, lunch or dinner ideas, there are plenty of options that include this super ingredient. From blueberries to black beans and beets, it’s easy to create delicious dishes using these powerhouse foods!
Some of the most common sources include:
- blueberries
- raspberries
- blackberries
- cranberries
- cherries
- plums
- grapes (especially dark varieties like Concord grapes)
- beets
- black beans
- radishes
- eggplant skin (that’s why some eggplants are purple!)
- black currants
- red cabbage
… and the list goes on!
You can also find anthocyanin supplements at most health food stores or online.
Now that you know a bit more about these intriguing pigments found in many of our favorite fruits and veggies — namely how they may be advantageous for people with diabetes and heart disease—why not try adding more anthocyanin-rich foods into your diet?
Whether it’s a plate of freshly picked berries or roasted beets over salad greens with a sprinkle of feta cheese, there’s no denying that adding some color into our diets just might do us more good than we ever thought!
Plus, the awesome colors make meals look so much prettier! So don’t forget the importance of including colorful produce when planning out your meals next time around.
Bon appétit!
(Photos courtesy of Pexels)