Anthocyanin-rich foods you should be eating

Thursday, October 17, 2013 by: Sandeep Godiyal
Tags: anthocyanins, antioxidants, healthy foods

(NaturalNews) Anthocyanin is a plant compound that acts as an effective antioxidant within the human body. It is also a color pigment that gives many fruits and berries a blue, red or dark purple hue and is found in a wide assortment of healthy foods. Several foods that contain anthocyanins are listed below.

Eggplant

The eggplant has been known to be referred to as "brain food," and anthocyanin actually plays a part in this, because the compound helps protect the fats (lipids) found in brain cell membranes.

Black currant

Black currant has often been cited as the supplement of choice for anthocyanins in various studies.

Plums

Plums are juicy, delicious, dark purple fruits that are considered a staple of anthocyanin foods.

Asparagus

Purple asparagus has recently been found to contain a rich supply of anthocyanins.

Cranberries, blueberries and more

Essentially any red-, purple- or blue-skinned berry will most likely have an immense accumulation of anthocyanins. This includes bilberries, elderberries, cranberries, raspberries, blueberries and, of course, blackberries. In fact, blackberries are known to have the highest concentration of antioxidants, more than any other fruit. By all means, the health benefits of each individual berry will vary.

Bananas

Surprisingly enough, considering that bananas are yellow and certainly not a dark hue, research has found that they are a great source of anthocyanins.

Red cabbage

There are at least 36 different variations of anthocyanins that have been found in red cabbage by scientists.

Grapes and Wine

All grapes are a wonderful source of anthocyanins, although the muscadine and concord variations have the highest concentration. The skin of a grape is where anthocyanins are mostly located. Because white wine does not include grape skins in the fermentation process, red wines are considered a greater source of the antioxidant in comparison.

Kidney beans and black beans

Several varieties of beans are known to have small accumulations of anthocyanins, but the best of the bunch is considered to be kidney beans and black beans. With their rich, dark hues, these two beans have a higher concentration than the others.

Pomegranates

Pomegranates are known for having a great amount of antioxidants, and anthocyanin is just one of many found within this great, tasty fruit.

Red fleshed peaches

Due to the significant levels of anthocyanins found in red, fleshy fruits, like red fleshed peaches, they are seen as having the same degree of health benefits as berries.

Cherries

All cherries are considered a great source of anthocyanins, although tart cherries are known to have a higher accumulation than sweet cherries. The darker the hue, the more antioxidants within the cherry.

While this is a list of 12 foods that feature the antioxidant anthocyanin, there are several others, including red onions, fennel, black rice, potatoes, pears and peas. For the health-conscious, these foods are a great way to supplement antioxidants.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.immunehealthscience.com

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com

http://www.healthdiaries.com

http://science.naturalnews.com

About the author:
Sandeep has written many health field articles for both Internet and print publication. He currently writing for insurancetips4u.co.

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