It’s #ScienceSunday !!!!!
And we’re gonna get personal here.
I don’t eat blue foods. No blueberries basically. I just find them to be absolutely unnatural. There is no way that blue colored foods are good for us!!! There’s nothing else that is blue that we eat!
Well I’m about to break it down right here right now!! All about blue foods!!! Here we go!!
There are two chemicals that produce color in edible plants: carotenoids and anthocyanins. Carotenoids give food their red, orange, or yellow color while anthocyanins contribute to reds, blues, and purples. The anthocyanins give blueberries their vibrant blue color.
There is another attribute that can lead different hues to occur to plants; the acidity of the soil in which the plants are grown in. Very acidic soil leads the anthocyanins to give off more of a red color while lesser acidic soil give more of a blue color. This all comes from the pH scale which ranges from 0 – 14. A good example of more acidic colors giving a low pH is strawberries and on the opposite end with a fruit giving a more basic pH is blueberries.
A bunch of other fruits that contain a high quantity of anthocyanins are blackberries, cranberries, eggplant, and Michael’s favorite BEETS!
I’m not sure what it is but these foods aren’t blue! They can have all the anthocyanins in them but there is just something about blue foods that does not make sense!! I eat blackberries and grapes because they are purple! That is natural because there are other foods that are naturally purple. I know blue potatoes and blue corn exist but even they don’t seem natural to mel!
What I find interesting is the idea that blue foods curb our appetite so maybe blueberries exist so we don’t eat as much other food?! Sneaky trick mother nature might be pulling on us!
Pretty much what I’m trying to get across to you is that blue foods aren’t natural but if you like them, I’m happy for you!!! And you are probably less picky than I am when it comes to fruits and veggies!!
Have a fab week!
Xox,
Z
