Tag: Natural pigments

Cyanidin 3-O-glucoside (C3G), a powerful anthocyanin pigment, is primarily known by its alternative name, chrysanthemin. This widespread natural flavonoid is responsible for the red and purple coloration in many fruits and vegetables, offering significant health benefits, including potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Over 20% of spirulina's dry weight is composed of phycocyanin, a vibrant blue pigment and powerful antioxidant. This potent compound, responsible for the blue-green algae's distinct hue, is also found in other specific microorganisms and is increasingly popular as a supplement and food coloring.

While blueberries are the most famously blue fruit, a recent scientific study revealed their color comes not from pigment but from a unique, light-scattering nanostructure in their waxy coating. This optical trick is also at play in other dark-hued fruits, proving there are, in fact, many other blue fruits besides blueberries.

Spirulina, a type of cyanobacteria, was famously proposed by NASA to be grown in space for astronauts. Its distinctive hue is a result of key pigments, a central part of understanding how does spirulina get its color.

Multiple in vitro studies have demonstrated that betalains are highly effective at scavenging free radicals, sometimes outperforming common antioxidants like vitamin C. These vibrant, nitrogen-containing pigments are found in plants like beetroot and prickly pear and are associated with a variety of impressive health benefits.

Over 1.9 billion people worldwide were estimated to be overweight in 2014, leading many to seek healthier food choices and natural supplements. As interest in functional foods grows, consumers are increasingly asking: Are betalains safe to consume? Derived from sources like beetroot and prickly pear, these pigments are widely regarded as safe for consumption and offer notable health-promoting properties.

Research has shown that cyanidin 3 rutinoside, a powerful anthocyanin, possesses antioxidant, anti-hyperglycemic, and cardioprotective properties. This guide explores the foods rich in cyanidin 3 rutinoside that you can easily incorporate into your diet to boost your health and wellness.

The vibrant pigments in beetroot are so powerful they can change the color of your urine and stool. Consuming beet powder can cause a surprising, though typically harmless, side effect: a reddish or pinkish hue in your poop. This phenomenon, known as beeturia, occurs because not everyone's digestive system fully breaks down the pigment found in beets.

According to a 2019 review, fruits and vegetables rich in the pigments that give them their rich hues tend to have a higher overall antioxidant capacity. These same potent phytonutrients are precisely why are blue and purple foods called superfoods by nutrition experts and enthusiasts alike.

Carotenoids, which provide vibrant colors, are a class of natural pigments widely distributed in plants, algae, and certain microorganisms. The question of whether carotene is natural is nuanced, as it is found abundantly in nature but is also produced synthetically. This has implications for properties and health effects.