The Gaia Health Blog Finding Health, Balance, and the "Fountain of Youth" through food and lifestyle choices

I suppose I'm going through a little withdrawal from getting really "sciency", as one of the bloggers from Real Food Freaks (see my lower right sidebar) called me, since I am making my blog more palatable to those more focused on recipes, lighthearted health articles, cool photography and such, but I have take a second to go back to my "sciency" analytical nature and write a quickie about purple foods.

I suppose I can balance it all out by keeping in brief and throwing in some cool colorful purple pictures, and a bonus recipe for a cool, breezy summer drink called Purple Lavender Mojito. Let's see if my blogging skills can pull it off………….

....... I love red kale in my fruity smoothies

My smoothies still have a fruity taste in spite of my kale and other veggies, and along with my other favorite purples, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries, they all give me a fruity, tasty, purple good treat every single day. It's a great way to start the day with such a good nutritious vibration.

Anyhoo, below is the "sciency" stuff about the benefits of The Purples, if you are not the sciency type, then just enjoy the photography and perhaps think about how to get one or two of The Purples into your diet on a consistent basis. And, check out my recipe for the drink Purple Lavender Mojito, something different for the summer!!!!!

Mother Natures gifts from "The Purples":     Indoles, Ellagic Acid, and Anthocyanins

Indoles: Good Sources: purple cauliflower, purple cabbage
Benefits: Derived from sulfur compounds in cruciferous veggies, these may slow the metabolism of carcinogens.
Cooking Tip: Steam cauliflower: it's likely the best prep for retaining indoles. Toss chopped kale with mashed avocado and olive oil.

Ellagic Acid: Good Sources: berries
Benefits: The phytochemical may lessen the effect of estrogen in promoting breast-cancer cell growth.
Cooking Tip: Keep frozen berries on hand for smoothies. Add to salads, pancakes, or on top of cereals.

Anthocyanins: Good Sources: red cabbage, eggplant, grapes, berries
Benefits: These antioxidants improve brain function and balance, and they may reduce the risk of cancer, stroke, and heart disease.
Cooking Tip: Try swapping in finely shredded cabbage for your typical salad greens and toss with avocado and red onion.

Recipe for Purple Lavender Mojito

10 to 15 mint leaves
10 to 15 blueberries
1 ounce lavender syrup*
Juice of 1/2 of a pressed lime
1 1/2 ounces white rum Club soda (I swap out with sparkling water and add a little optional rum to avoid cheap sugars)

1. In a tall glass, muddle mint leaves, simple syrup or lavender syrup, lime juice, blueberries.
2. Muddle just enough to combine flavors, being careful not to over-muddle. Fill glass ice. Top with and sparkling water/optional rum and stir.
3. Garnish with 3 blueberries on a pick. Serve with a straw.

*Lavender Simple Syrup

2 cups water
2 cups Birch Tree Xylitol Sweetener  (it's the best natural sweetener I've found so far, could also use stevia but Birch Tree Xylitol taste much better)
2 tablespoons dried lavender blossoms

1. Bring ingredients to a boil in saucepan, stirring so that the Xylitol dissolves. Reduce heat and continue stirring until all the Xylitol sugar has dissolved.
2. Remove from heat and let steep for 30 minutes. Remove lavender blossoms and allow syrup to cool. Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated ~dw~.

You might also like
 

"The Reds"
 

"The Yellows"

"The Oranges"

The Greens

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check out all my articles in "Eat Smart", the science of food (click here or on the photo below)