{"id":60102,"date":"2016-12-21T02:58:41","date_gmt":"2016-12-21T02:58:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/news\/whole-foods-predicts-purple-food-to-be-big-trend-in-2017\/"},"modified":"2016-12-21T02:58:41","modified_gmt":"2016-12-21T02:58:41","slug":"whole-foods-predicts-purple-food-to-be-big-trend-in-2017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/news\/whole-foods-predicts-purple-food-to-be-big-trend-in-2017\/","title":{"rendered":"Whole Foods predicts purple food to be big trend in 2017"},"content":{"rendered":"

Keeping a healthy diet can feel like a full-time job.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Eat more kale, cut out meat, cut out sugar, eat this fat not that fat, eat some carbs but not too much, read the labels, watch your calories\u2026 the list is endless.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Now, we are on the brink of a new health fad.<\/p>\n

But this one is far more simple: eat anything purple.<\/p>\n

According to the annual trend advisory from Whole Foods, compiled by the store\u2019s panel of registered dietitians, purple food is seeing a surge in popularity \u2013 and for good reason.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Purple
\"Purple<\/p>\n

Purple foods are packed full of an antioxidant called\u00a0anthocyanins which fights cancer, ageing and inflammation. They are set to have a moment in 2017, according to Whole Foods\u2019 experts<\/p>\n

WHY SHOULD <\/span>YOU EAT PURPLE FOODS?\u00a0<\/h3>\n

1. FIGHT CANCER\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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A 2010 study by the University of Porto found the anthocyanins in blueberries prevent the growth of breast cancer cells.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A 2014 study by Chengdu Medical College in China found black rice\u2019s anthocyanins have the same effect.\u00a0<\/p>\n

According to research at NC State University, the properties in blueberries can even stop prostate cancer tumors from forming.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

To fight colon cancer, a study at Ohio State University\u00a0found purple corn is the most effective food.\u00a0<\/p>\n

2. ANTI-AGEING\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The antioxidants are thought to have anti-ageing benefits.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Over time, exposure to UVA and UVB light damages our skin.<\/p>\n

The collagen degrades, and the skin loses is tightness, causing wrinkles. \u00a0<\/p>\n

But a\u00a02009 study found the anthocyanins in blueberries helped reverse the damage of UV rays on the skin, and postponed the skin\u2019s collagen from breaking down with age.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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3. OBESITY\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Japanese researchers published a study in 2008 that found mice gained more weight if they ate less anthocyanins.\u00a0<\/p>\n

And last year, a study found obese rats fed with sweet potato lost more weight than those that did not.\u00a0<\/p>\n

That was attributed to the high level of anthocyanins in purple sweet potato, which control the levels of leption (the \u2018fat\u2019 hormone). \u00a0<\/p>\n

The diet promises to improve cardiovascular health, fight cancer and give you a huge energy boost.\u00a0<\/p>\n

4. BRAIN STRENGTH<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A 16-year study found anthocyanins can reverse brain ageing by two-and-a-half years.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The study, published in the Annals of Neurology, studied 16,000 people.\u00a0<\/p>\n

They did follow-ups with each person twice a year, checking their dietary habits.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Those who consume more anthocyanin-rich berries fared overwhelmingly better in cognitive tests.\u00a0<\/p>\n

5. HEART HEALTH<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Anthocyanins can protect the heart muscle and blood vessels from oxidative damage.<\/p>\n

They may also help rejuvenate the cardiovascular system and help repair the damaged tissue.<\/p>\n

Indeed, an 18-year study published in 2013\u00a0found that women who ate three or more servings a week of purple food reduced their risk of a heart attack by 32 percent.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\u2018Richly colored purple foods are popping up everywhere: purple cauliflower, black rice, purple asparagus, elderberries, acai, purple sweet potatoes, purple corn and cereal,\u2019 the panel says.<\/p>\n

\u2018The power of purple goes beyond the vibrant color and often indicates nutrient density and antioxidants.\u2019<\/p>\n

Abbey Sharp, a registered dietitian and owner of Abbey\u2019s Kitchen, agrees.<\/p>\n

\u2018Purple does indicate antioxidant and nutrient density.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018The color comes from anthocyanins, which is a type of antioxidant!\u2019<\/p>\n

Anthocyanins have been the focus of medical studies for years, looking at how food like blueberries can fight cancer, ageing, and obesity.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Plums, for example, are packed with Vitamin C and fibre, while purple potatoes are high in potassium, iron and contain the same antioxidant levels as kale.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Indeed, nutritionists and celebrity health proponents \u2013 like Ella Woodward \u2013 are constantly advising people to eat more purple food.\u00a0<\/p>\n

And even Mariah Carey backs the so-called \u2018purple diet\u2019, which she claims helped her shed her baby weight after giving birth to Moroccan and Monroe in 2011.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\u2018As registered dietitians who always encourage our clients to eat vibrantly colored fruits and vegetables as they have more antioxidants and phytonutrients, we are excited to see that purple foods has made the list, as we feel it\u2019s a great trend to follow,\u2019 The Nutrition Twins Tammy and Lyssie Lakatos told Daily Mail Online.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018Their color means that they have more antioxidants and phytonutrients.<\/p>\n

\u2018Eating more purple food is really critical when it comes to fighting the age process, preventing diseases such as cancer, and also helping to fight inflammation.\u2019<\/p>\n

When asked to pick their top purple foods, the New York-based Lakatos sisters couldn\u2019t select a favorite.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018We do like purple cabbage\u2026 but honestly all of them are great because it really does come down to the color.<\/p>\n

\u2018Definitely purple cauliflower and purple carrots. But really anything!\u2019<\/p>\n

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Here is a round-up of the some key purple meals and ingredients for you to try out\u2026<\/p>\n

1. ACAI BOWL<\/span><\/p>\n

The acai berry is a rich purple palm fruit indigenous to the Amazon rainforest.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For hundreds of years, these small dark berries have been integral to the diet of native Amazon people.<\/p>\n

The berries are packed with amino acids, as well as vitamins A, B, C and E and minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper and zinc.<\/p>\n

The fruit perishes quickly after being picked, so to help preserve its goodness it is often made into acai berry juice, supplements or powder, which is often whizzed into a smoothie.<\/p>\n

Speaking about the potent powder, food blogger and nutritionist Deliciously Ella said: \u2018Acai is unbelievably rich in antioxidants, with one of the highest levels ever tested (eight times that of blueberries and 10 to 30 times that of red wine,) as well as vitamin E and omega-3s, all of which work to stop free radical damage and keep your body.<\/p>\n

\"A
\"A<\/p>\n

A popular way to consume acai is in an \u2018acai bowl\u2019 \u2013 abundant on the streets of Brazil<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s also amazing for keeping your skin glowing and slowing down the signs of ageing.\u2019<\/p>\n

According to some sites selling acai products, the berry\u2019s fibre and essential fatty acid content contribute to its ability to burn fat more efficiently, process food more quickly, cut down on cravings, and boost metabolism.<\/p>\n

An increasingly popular way to consume acai is in an \u2018acai bowl\u2019 \u2013 something abundant on the streets of Brazil.\u00a0<\/p>\n

You blend up acai with banana, and occasionally other ingredients including nut milk, nut butter, bee pollen, and spirulina.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The smoothie is then topped with granola and other morsels such as coconut flakes and goji berries.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Courtesy\u00a0Sophie Benhow<\/p>\n

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2. PURPLE SWEET POTATO\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Unlike orange yams, Okinawan potatoes contain the all-important antioxidant anthocyanin.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It can be eaten as a substitute for normal potato.\u00a0<\/p>\n

However, the more adventurous foodies may want to try some of these:<\/p>\n

\"Sweet
\"Sweet<\/p>\n

Sweet potato can be blended up to make frosting for tarts (like this), or ice cream or donut mix<\/p>\n

Sea Salt With Food, a food blog, has a recipe for purple sweet potato ice cream.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Evan\u2019s Kitchen Ramblings details how to spiral the vibrant ingredient into a sesame marble cake.\u00a0<\/p>\n

And Notabilia, a New York food blogger based in Singapore, has an eye-popping recipe for purple sweet potato donuts. \u00a0<\/p>\n

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3. PURPLE CARROTS<\/span><\/p>\n

Purple carrots are not just a colorful alternative to spruce up your plate.\u00a0<\/p>\n

They contain beta-carotene and vitamin A \u2013 both crucial for eyesight \u2013 as well as anthocyanins.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As the Nutrition Twins pointed out, the virtue of purple foods really is in the color.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"The
\"The<\/p>\n

The ideal way to consume all the goodness of purple carrots is to eat them raw<\/p>\n

So boiling purple carrots, thereby losing their color, is not the best idea.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The ideal way to consume all the goodness of purple carrots is to eat them raw, sliced up, with a healthy dip like homemade hummus.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

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4. BEETS<\/span><\/p>\n

Beets (referred to as \u2018beetroot\u2019 in the UK) are a unique source of phytonutrients called betalains.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Betanin and vulgaxanthin have been shown to provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and detoxification support.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Although you can see these betalain pigments in other foods like rhubarb, the level of betalains in the peel and flesh of beets is much more concentrated.<\/p>\n

Indeed, some NFL teams and England\u2019s national soccer team consume concentrated beet juice as part of their nutrition regime.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"A
\"A<\/p>\n

A health food company called BEET IT has developed beet shots and beet-heavy flapjacks<\/p>\n

Good ways to consume beets include grating up pickled beets in salads, or blending it raw in smoothies with some avocado, berries and water.\u00a0<\/p>\n

To deliver a more concentrated dose, a health food company called BEET IT has started developing beet shots and beet-heavy flapjacks.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The products have been endorsed by former NFL player Chad Brown and\u00a0Professor Andrew Jones, from the University of Exeter, who has spent years investigating the nutritional properties of concentrated beetroot juice.<\/p>\n

5. PURPLE CABBAGE<\/span><\/p>\n

It is a great time of year to start testing out purple cabbage.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The antioxidant-rich ingredient is perfect raw in salads but also cooked as a side for your Christmas dinner.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Try this BBC GoodFood recipe for pickled red cabbage, leaving the shredded pieces in a jar of cider vinegar \u2013 also good for you \u2013 overnight.\u00a0<\/p>\n

You could also try this, pairing raw red cabbage with walnut, apple and orange for a festive Waldorf Salad.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"The
\"The<\/p>\n

The antioxidant-rich ingredient is perfect as a side for your Christmas dinner<\/p>\n