Purple Fruits and Vegetables Benefits:
The following are some of the most common benefits of purple fruits and vegetables. They include their nutritional value, health benefits, taste, flavor, color and many other things. You may also want to read more about these purple foods.
1) Reduces Blood Pressure:
Reducing blood pressure is one of the main reasons why people choose to eat purple foods such as berries or greens. There are several types of blood vessels in our body. These arteries carry oxygenated blood from the heart to all parts of your body including your brain, lungs, liver and other organs. When there is too much blood flow through a vessel it becomes blocked causing high blood pressure. A healthy diet includes plenty of fruits and vegetables which contain vitamin C, potassium and fiber which helps reduce high blood pressure.
2) Prevents Cancer:
There are various types of cancer. Some cancers are caused by environmental factors while others are due to genetic mutations. The best way to prevent cancer is to avoid smoking, drinking alcohol and eating processed foods containing fat and salt. Eating purple fruits and vegetables like strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, kiwi fruit, broccoli florets or spinach leaves reduces the risk of developing certain kinds of cancer.
3) Heart Disease and Diabetes:
Heart disease and diabetes are two common conditions which affect millions of people around the world every year. These diseases can be prevented by eating a well-balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean meats, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and nuts. You should avoid eating too much fat, salt, sugar and processed food. It is important to note that some types of processed food are worse than others. It is best to avoid instant noodles, sugary desserts and most fast foods.
You should also engage in physical activity to keep your heart and muscles strong. In addition to preventing heart disease and diabetes, exercising also prevents cancer, depression and other serious conditions.
4) Promotes Muscle Growth:
Purple fruits are a good source of antioxidants and nutrients which are vital for promoting muscle growth. When your body does not get enough of these nutrients, it cannot develop muscles properly. Eating a diet containing enough nutrients and vitamins such as iron and vitamin B is important for athletic individuals and people who exercise regularly.
5) Aids Digestion:
Digestion begins in your mouth where your salivary glands produce saliva to begin the breakdown process of starch into sugar. The stomach continues breaking down food until it reaches the small intestines where enzymes help to digest the food into a liquid form. At this stage vitamins, minerals and nutrients can be absorbed through the walls of the intestines into the portal vein which carries the food to the liver where it is either stored for future use or sent to the rest of the body.
Purple fruits help with digestion because they contain vital nutrients such as pulp, pectin, vitamin c and soluble fiber. The body cannot digest fiber but it can absorb some of its nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
6) Eye Health:
Beta-Carotene is a nutrient found in abundance in dark green, leafy vegetables and certain fruits. It is converted into vitamin A in the small intestines which helps to prevent night blindness, xerophthalmia and other eye problems related to the aging process.
Dark Green Leafy vegetables contain vitamin A and also have high amounts of fiber, folic acid, iron, magnesium and calcium which prevent anemia, osteoporosis and other bone diseases.
Dark yellow fruits such as mangoes contain xanthophylls which filter out harmful rays of the sun and assist in the development of strong eye tissue.
Sources & references used in this article:
Determination of Nutritious Compositions and Diosgenin Contents of Purple Yam (Dioscorea batatas Decne.)[J] by LIU Ying – Journal of Anhui Agricultural Sciences, 2010 – en.cnki.com.cn
Delicious, nutritious, and a colorful dish for the holidays! by RM Bliss – Agricultural Research, 2014 – go.gale.com
Development of Purple Sweet Potato Nutrition Jelly [J] by DOU Yong – Journal of Anhui Agricultural Sciences, 2010 – en.cnki.com.cn
Showing food fact sheet for sweet_potato by A Maciejewski – afcdb.ca
