Have you ever wondered what purple corn is and what are its health benefits? Here is an introduction to this corn and its benefits for our health.
Purple corn is also known as blue corn and it is the same species as a regular corn, except that it produces kernels with a deep shade of purple.
Purple corn is known to be a powerful antioxidant, with anti-inflammatory properties and a food that might help in the prevention of cancer.
Properties of purple corn:
Purple Corn is a valuable source of natural dyes and these three powerful antioxidants:
- Peonidin
- Pelargonidin
- Cyanidin-3-Glucoside
Benefits of purple corn:
Purple corn is rich with a wide variety of phytonutrients, including a huge amount of anthocyanins, which are a type of flavonoid that produce purple, red or blue colors. Anthocyanins help protect from diseases because they are a powerful antioxidant and are anti-inflammatory.
More amazing health benefits of purple corn:
1. Anti-cancer properties
According to a research done at the Ohio State University, the anthocyanins that were extracted from purple corn killed 20% of in vitro cancer cells. The researchers have compared these anthocyanins to anthocyanins from different plant sources, such as grapes, radishes, elderberries and purple carrots.
2. Obesity
The Doshisha University in Japan conducted a study which observed the anti-obesity potential of the purple corn anthocyanin – cyanidin 3-glucoside (C3G). The researchers discovered that the dietary C3G prevented obesity in mice. They remain hopeful that further studies will find a similar link in humans.
3. Anti-inflammatory properties
The Tokai Gakuen University in Japan conducted a research that confirmed the anti-inflammatory response of the anthocyanin C3G, a benefit that is believed to be inherent in anthocyanins.
Purple corn offers many health benefits, so you should incorporate it in your diet and enjoy them.
Sourced: 1mhealthtips
