Purple corn
Other names : maíz morado, purple maize, Morado canteño, Morado mejorado, Morado cara, Arequipeño (var. Tradicional), Cusco morado, Negro de Junín
Botanically speaking, this corn belongs to the same species as the regular corn you'd find at any farmer's market—except that it has a deep purple color. Native South Americans have been using the dyes, known as anthocyanins, to color food and drinks for centuries. Anthocyanins are flavonoids, a category of antioxidants being studied for their potential health benefits.
Special Precautions of Purple corn
The benefits of Purple corn are
Its purple hue comes from massive amounts of anthocyanins, a type of complex flavonoid. Flavonoids are a variety of antioxidants that repair cellular damage, reduce inflammation, and nourish connective tissue—thereby revitalizing the body. Studies show that a diet rich in polyphenolic compounds is associated with reduced risk of developing cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. Recent research in both animals and humans have shown that increasing polyphenol intake can:
- Protect against atherosclerosis
- Lowers blood pressure,
- Reduces blood clots
- Elevates antioxidant capacity of the blood
- Cancer : The researchers say compounds, found in foods such as Purple Corn , aubergines, red cabbage, elderberries and bilberries, restricted the growth of cancer cells and in some cases killed them off entirely, leaving healthy cells unharmed.
- Diabetes : The maize is rich in anthocyanins (also known as flavonoids), which are reported to have anti-diabetic properties.
- Obesity : Researchers found that purple corn anthocyanins may have the potential to fight obesity and diabetes.
- Kidney disease
- Inflammation : A 2002 study, published in the "Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology," that looked at the potential health benefits of the anthocyanin C3G revealed that it reduced inflammatory responses in mice suffering acute chemically-induced inflammation. The researchers concluded that purple corn anthocyanins may have have potential treatment benefits for inflammatory diseases.
