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Top 25 Anthocyanin Rich Superfoods And Why You Should Eat Them
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You have probably read a great deal about super foods and the important place that these foods should have in your diet. There is another type of super food that should also have a place on the dinner table: Foods that are rich in anthocyanins.
Anthocyanins are a class of pigments that occur naturally in plants. These pigments give plants their vibrant colors such as reds and purples. There are more than 600 types of pigments exhibiting color change. Depending on the pH of the plant, they can exhibit colors such as red, blue, or purple.
Anthocyanins have a huge number of amazing health benefits. Studies show that they can fight everything from heart disease, inflammation, bacterial infections, age-related neurodegenerative disease, diabetes, even cancer.
In olden days, anthocyanin rich extracts were used to treat many health problems, including urinary problems, kidney stones, liver disorders, high blood pressure, dysentery, liver problems, colds, the flu, and diarrhea.
Anthocyanins are believed to have anti-inflammatory compounds, neuroprotective compounds, and analgesic properties. Many types of anthocyanins, especially those in black currants, have been shown to improve vision and might help reduce the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.
Research studies have also shown that anthocyanins can reduce the growth of cancer cells and can slow the formation of tumors. One study, conducted at the University of Illinois, showed that subjects who consumed black raspberries daily had a reduction in their risk of developing colorectal cancer by as much as 45 percent.
The USDA does not have an actual recommended daily amount of anthocyanins that you should consume. If they did, however, the recommended daily allowance would be about 12.5 grams each day, according to scientists and other nutritional experts. We have compiled a list of 25 of the best superfoods that are super rich in healthy anthocyanins. The number listed after each food item shows the milligrams of anthocyanins contained in 100 grams of each food. Keep reading and be sure that you are including plenty of these foods in your daily diet.
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1. Purple (Blue) Corn
Although this corn in actually dark purple, some people call it blue. You will find this type of corn generally in corn chips or tortillas: 1,642 mg
2. Concord Grapes: 192 mg
3. Eggplants: 750 mg
4. Chokeberries: 2,147 mg
5. Blackberries: 353 mg
6. Elderberries: 1,993 mg
7. Black Raspberries: 845 mg
SEE ALSO: 10 Best Antioxidant Rich Foods
8. Blueberries: 529 mg
9. Blackcurrant: 533 mg
10. Marion Blackberry: 433 mg
11. Red Wine: 35 mg
12. Blackberries: 353 mg
13. Red Onions: 39 mg
14. Oranges: 200 mg
15. Red Grapes: 43 mg
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16. Sweet Cherries: 177 mg
17. Strawberries: 69 mg
18. Cranberries: 91 mg
19. Black Plums: 82 mg
20. Red Cabbage: 113 mg
21. Raspberries: 116 mg
22. Pink Grapefruit: 200 mg
23. Red Radishes: 116 mg
24. Pomegranates: 92 mg (varies greatly)
25. Asparagus (purple variety): 205 mg
Of course there are many other foods that contain anthocyanins, such as black beans, peaches, kidney beans, and bananas, but the list above are the foods which are known to contain the highest levels of this health-improving antioxidant.
You might have heard that saliva breaks down many anthocyanins, at least in part, thus reducing their potential health benefits. This might be true of some foods but there have still been numerous studies that have found large amounts of very important health benefits for those who eat a diet rich in foods that contain anthocyanins.
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