If you’re looking to become a healthier, more robust version of yourself in 2017, you should consider going purple.
No, we’re not talking about some sort of weird, Barney-ish skin procedure, but consuming purple foods.
The food experts from Whole Foods, who analyzed the consumer behaviour across 465 stores globally, expect purple foods to colourfully and tastefully adorn our meal plates in the New Year.
They called the phenomenon a ‘fast growing trend’, in an online statement: “Richly coloured purple foods are popping up everywhere: purple cauliflower, black rice, purple asparagus, elderberries, acai, purple sweet potatoes, purple corn and cereal.
“The power of purple goes beyond the vibrant colour and often indicates nutrient density and antioxidants.”
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Matthew Plowman, a Nutrition Adviser at Cardiff Sports Nutrition, affirms that these purple foods are loaded with natural health benefits.
“The benefits of antioxidants have long been discussed, but they are known to fight disease, keep you looking younger, reduce inflammation and are good for your heart – basically, why wouldn’t you eat them?”
So what makes purple the colour of choice?
According to experts, the darker the colour of a food, the higher the amount of antioxidants and nutrients are in the food, thereby making it a healthier option. Nutrition studies on purple fruit and veggies being consumed regularly concluded they were associated with a reduced risk of high blood pressure & low cholesterol.
The rise of the purple food niche isn’t too surprising however, seeing how health conscious society has become.
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“As a nation we are all becoming more health conscious. This could be partly put down to social media which has helped to raise awareness of health bloggers, nutritionists and dieticians who are sharing insights into their health tips and inspiring us to make better food choices,” explained Plowman.
“It’s well known that author of the Lean In 15 series, Joe Wicks, helped to increase tenderstem broccoli sales by 25% – proving trends are in the hands of influencers.”
So if you’re looking to add colour to your diet next year, pick purple.
Photo credit: zarzamora/Shutterstock
