Four months in, 2017 has already brought us some crazy food trends. From unicorn/rainbow everything to gold-flaked donuts, it's been pretty wild so far. On the health side of things, one trend that's just at its roots is about to become very popular. Purple superfoods are making their way into restaurants and dinner tables across the country–yes, purple. Full of rich antioxidants and loaded with other things to keep you at your best, you're guaranteed to come face-to-face with a plate of purple. Here are some superfoods to keep an eye out for.
Purple Cabbage
Also known as the red cabbage, this beautiful purple superfood has been around for a while, even if you didn't notice it before–it's a regular face in coleslaw and salads. This guy is a great source of fiber and helps with digestion. You can eat it raw or cooked, so if you're looking for something you can change up, purple cabbage is definitely your man.
Purple Sweet Potatoes
Officially, it's called the Okinawan sweet potato, and Dr. Oz even named this bad boy as one of the top superfoods of 2010. Yes, not the most reliable man on earth, but I'll prove it to you another way–it's an amazing source of antioxidants, and a great way to get more than your fair share of vitamins A and C, and potassium. It gives you heath benefits like keeping good blood pressure, fighting cancer, and keeping weight off. I know when you hear the word potato all you can think is carbs, carbs, and more carbs, but give it another try. If anything, do it because this looks freaking awesome.
Purple Cauliflower
Rounding out at about half of your daily dose vitamin C, this seriously sick looking veggie is nothing but good for you. On top of that, this superfood lowers your risk of cancer and controls blood sugar levels on top of so much more. It even tastes sweeter than the more common white cauliflower Overall, purple cauliflower is a superstar that you should definitely consider at least trying in this year of wild food. If you're willing to put a spaghetti donut in your mouth, then really how bad could this be?
Acai Berries
This one I don't even have to tell you about. Acai bowls are everywhere now, and the trend even carried over from 2016 into 2017 (and could maybe be the reason why purple foods are so popular right now). Acai berries contain antioxidants, fats that promote heart health, and fibers that aid weight loss and digestion, however, research is limited. This is THE most photogenic ever to boot, so you have no reason whatsoever to not try it at least once.
Purple Haze Carrots
Let me start off by saying, just look at it. It almost looks TOO pretty to put in your mouth. It turns out it's not for show, and you can really buy these–in real life. They're called purple haze carrots, which alone is a pretty dope name, and are known for their sweetness. Overall though, the taste and texture are pretty similar to regular orange carrots, and so is the fact that it helps with maintaining good vision. It's higher levels of antioxidants and anthocyanins (a chemical that is anti-cancer, virus and inflammatory). It's full of great health benefits and is a pretty cool way to change things up.
Long story short, these superfoods are chock FULL of antioxidants and vitamins and fibers to keep you looking and being your best. Take a look at any of these, they're dank. Keep your eyes out, 2017.