Add More Purple to Your Plate!

This month, and always, it’s important to fill your plate with fruits and vegetables in all colors, including the often elusive purple! Anthocyanin is the plant polyphenol, an antioxidant, responsible for the beautifully hued purple color of many fruits and vegetables including blackberries, blueberries, black plums, prunes, grapes, eggplants, purple sweet potatoes, purple asparagus, and purple cabbage. Consuming anthocyanin-rich fruits and vegetables can help to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease and hypertension. And, they’re so tasty! Here are some easy ways to add more purple to your plate.

9 Easy Ways to Add More Purple to Your Plate

1. Add fresh or frozen blueberries or blackberries to cereal, smoothies, and salads.
2. Grab a fiber-filled snack of blueberries, blackberries, or grapes.
3. Pair nuts like pistachios, almonds, or walnuts with raisins or prunes.
4. Try steamed purple asparagus as a side dish with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
5. Roast purple cabbage and purple carrots to include in salads or grain bowls.
6. Create a colorful coleslaw with purple cabbage and purple carrots.
7. Purple sweet potatoes are great baked, mashed, or made into fries.
8. Grate purple cauliflower for a beautiful cauliflower ‘rice’ pilaf.
9. Try making purple cabbage steaks as a side or make it a meatless meal topped with beans and other vegetables.