Purple Passion

The next time you're picking up berries in the produce aisle, think purple. Purple berries, such as red and black currants, gooseberries, elderberries, and chokeberries, may have as much as 50 percent more antioxidants than other more common berry varieties. Their purple hue is indicative of a high concentration of anthocyanins, which are flavonoids with potent antioxidant qualities.

A diet high in fruits and vegetables provides your body with loads of health-boosting antioxidants. Anthocyanins, a particular kind of antioxidant compound found in fruits and vegetables with deep red or purple hues, may be particularly beneficial to certain aspects of health. For example, they are powerful combatants of the type of oxidative stress that can lead to disease and needless aging. The darker a berry is, the higher its anthocyanin content appears to be.

To ensure you get a variety of antioxidants in your diet, include foods from every color group in your meals — from white, orange, and yellow to green, purple, and red. Add juicy red tomatoes to your leafy green salads, serve orange-hued sweet potatoes and wild mushrooms as side dishes, and top your cereals with dark-hued berries for extra antioxidant punch.