HOUSTON – Medical experts believe antioxidants are good for us because they prevent or slow harmful exposure to our bodies.
In a dessert, smoothie or in a salad, purple food is packing a healthy punch.
Holistic health coach Mary Mcalary pinpoints the power of purple.
“It's a new rage because of the antioxidants that are contained in them,” she said.
The darker the purple, the better.
“An anthocyanin is an antioxidant that gives the food the purple color. That purple color is what is so healthy,” she said.
According to the USDA, purple potatoes have four times the antioxidant potential than other potatoes. Mcalary said they’re also sweeter.
Harvard researcher Visanti Malik said if you're eating purple food packed with antioxidants, it really may be a disease fighter.
“Antioxidants are good for you because we believe they can reduce risk of cancer,” Malik said.
Kathy Moramarco is putting a lot of trust in that. She eats purple food because both her mother and father suffered cancer.
“So I’ve realized that choosing blueberries and pomegranate in attempt to ward off chemo and radiation therapy is a much better alternative,” Moramarco said.
Plus, she said, "I've had my husband on a heavy fruit and vegetable pathway and he's lost 16 pounds, and he's looking pretty good so we're going to keep adding purple foods into our diet."
While purple is good for you, don't forget about other colors: green, yellow, red all have big nutritional rewards.