Health Radar: What exactly is the “purple diet”?
Eggplants, grapes, blueberries, purple potatoes – these foods are packed with antioxidants, vitamins and fibre. Is it the colour?
Have you ever heard of the “purple regime”? The queen of yo-yo dieting, Mariah Carey, has lost all her pregnancy kilos strictly by feeding on purple foods. Curious about this health fad and its effects on the body, we more closely examined the benefits of purple foods with the help of micro-nutritionist Valérie Espinasse.
WHY EAT PURPLE?
A deep purplish tone in fruits and vegetables indicates nutritional quality. This is also the case for other coloured fruits and vege – we know the red-orange pigments in foods like carrots are due to beta-carotene content. In the case of purple foods, the colour is a guarantor of great richness in antioxidants like lycopene, or polyphenol quercetin. Antioxidants are brilliant at keeping the aging process at bay by preventing the oxidation of the arteries, cartilage, tendons and even skin, and studies have suggested that dietary polyphenol quercetin can target pancreatic cancer stem cells.
Berries, including those lovely hued blueberries, have a detoxing effect and are good for the urinary system.
INTRODUCING THESE FOODS TO YOUR SYSTEM
Our body requires antioxidants, and also vitamins and fibre. With all the “junk food” and highly processed stuff we’re eating these days, our food is now too low in vegetable fibre and essential vitamins and minerals. By adding purple fruits and vegetables to our meals once in a while, we manage to rebalance our plates. Eat blueberries, blackberries, eggplants (try not to remove the skin), purple artichokes and purple carrots to your diet.
To easily introduce purple coloured foods to your diet, Valérie Espinasse proposes munching on a handful of blueberries with some healthy nuts such as almonds and walnuts. You can also prepare a smoothie with your blueberries, but make sure to use a cold-pressed juicer as heated blenders can destroy fibres and vitamins. For dinner, why not roast a couple of aubergines?
Valérie’s Helpful Tips
Colour your plate up! For a healthy and balanced diet beyond the five fruits and vegetables per day, vary the colours. Do you impose a rule when you go to the supermarket to do your grocery shopping? Do not buy the same vegetables over and over again. Switch things up!
Marie France Asia thanks Valérie Espinasse for her nutritional expertise. Visit her website at www.valerieespinasse.fr.
Morgane Klein Forest & Angela Goh
Photo: Getty Images
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