41 Purple Fruits and Vegetables to Add a Pop of Color to Your Plate

Eating purple fruits and vegetables is an easy and fun way to make sure you’re consuming a diverse array of nutrients and vitamins.

While some fruits and vegetables are purely purple of their own accord – such as blackberries and eggplant – some have been purposefully bred to be purple by nature, traditional agriculture, or selective breeding.

Why Are Purple Foods So Healthy?

Purple fruits and vegetables contain compounds called anthocyanins, which give foods that royal hue – anywhere from deep red-orange to striking violet to beautiful blue. Breeding plants with anthocyanins creates purple cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, potatoes and cabbage. Plants that contain anthocyanins are better protected against damage from sunlight, and the color also attracts bees and other pollinators.

A 2004 study conducted by the University of Illinois suggests that anthocyanins may help protect cells, heal the body, decrease inflammation, and lower the risk of heart disease and may reduce the risk of some forms of cancer. Purple cauliflower, broccoli, kale, and red cabbage also contain indoles, nutrients derived from sulfur compounds that may slow the metabolism of carcinogens according to WebMD. WebMD also notes that berries are good sources of ellagic acid, a phytochemical that may also help protect cell integrity.

In addition to the anthocyanins, indoles, and ellagic acid, these purple fruits and vegetables also contain all the expected nutritional components of fresh produce – such as vitamin A, B2, C, dietary fiber, potassium, and other phenols.

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What’s the Best Way To Cook Purple Fruits & Vegetables?

Because anthocyanins are water-soluble (able to dissolve in water), you’ll get the biggest bang for your buck when you eat these fruits and veggies raw, steamed, or roasted. Most purple vegetables are easy to prepare – just use them as you would their paler cousins. Toss berries into breakfast dishes, lunchtime salads, and desserts. Drizzle chopped veggies with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss to coat – and then roast in a 425 degree Fahrenheit oven for 15-20 minutes for an easy roasted side dish.

The Ultimate List of Purple Fruits & Vegetables: How Many Have You Tried?

1. Blackberries


2. Blueberries


3. Raspberries


4. Beets


5. Red Onions


6. Figs


7. Red Grapes


8. Plums


9. Cherries


10. Eggplant


11. Red Cabbage


12. Red Leaf Lettuce


13. Red Belgian Endive aka Radicchio


14. Swiss Chard


15. Radishes


16. Passionfruit


17. Pluots


18. Black Currants


19. Açai Berries (you can only find these frozen in the U.S.)


20. Purple Potatoes


21. Purple Cauliflower


22. Purple Corn


23. Red Kale


24. Purple Carrots


25. Purple Bell Peppers


26. Purple Broccoli


27. Purple Artichokes


28. Purple Asparagus


29. Purple Kohlrabi


30. Purple Sweet Potatoes


31. Black Currants


32. Purple Snow Peas


33. Chinese Long Beans


34. Purple Okra


35. Purple Green Onions


36. Ube aka Purple Yam


37. Elderberries


38. Purple Thyme


39. Purple Basil


40. Edible Lavender


41. Edible Purple Violets

Make it your mission to try every purple food on this list – or at least keep an eye out for new purple produce that you can use to perk up your plate. What’s your favorite?

Related on Organic Authority

Purple Power! 4 Vegetarian Eggplant Recipes for a Tasty Meatless Monday
7 Spring Vegetables: From Peas to Purple Asparagus
Sweet & Sour Superfoods: The 13 Best Berries in the World

Image of beets via Shutterstock

The post 41 Purple Fruits and Vegetables to Add a Pop of Color to Your Plate appeared first on Organic Authority.

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