Eat More Purple Foods for Cancer Prevention and a Healthier Gut and Heart

Protecting your body from free radicals is crucial to avoid diseases and damage to your cells

Studies show us that free radicals can cause cellular damage and even increase your chances of getting chronic diseases. The potential diseases include heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. That is why it is vital you keep your body protected by using polyphenols. There are four types of polyphenols which include stilbenes, flavonoids, lignin, and phenolic acid.

Polyphenols play a major role in many processes within your body

Polyphenols have many biological functions to keep your body healthy. They prevent the growth of blood vessels that feed tumors (known as angiogenesis) which essentially means they can stop cancer from growing.

They regulate your blood pressure by ensuring your cardiovascular system remains healthy. This reduces the risk of developing heart disease. Polyphenols can also be effective at controlling blood sugar levels and decreasing insulin resistance which lowers your chances of getting type 2 diabetes.

There are certain foods that you should be eating to increase your polyphenol levels and prevent any serious health conditions

Studies show that oxidative stress is responsible for cardiovascular and degenerative diseases, as well as cancer. Polyphenols contain antioxidants which neutralize the free radicals causing oxidative stress. Eating organic foods should be a priority. The chemicals added to foods decreases the amount of antioxidants they contain. Organic foods contain more polyphenols in comparison to food that is grown using conventional methods.

Herbs and spices are high in polyphenols and super easy to add into your diet. Berries contain tons of polyphenols (especially ones that are blue or purple). In fact, foods that are more blue and purple tend to contain more polyphenols. These include mulberries, blueberries, and purple potatoes.

Some easy ways to include more polyphenols into your diet include:

• Eating fresh berries
• Seasoning food with herbs and spices
• Juicing organic vegetables