There’s a nutritional theory that states we need to eat foods from all the colors of the rainbow in order to maintain a balanced diet. This makes perfect sense (and makes eating more fun!) because different nutrients are often associated with different colors. Carotenes, for example, are generally found in red and orange foods.

When it comes to purple (my favorite), we’ve got blackberries, eggplants, plums and – surprise – potatoes. Peruvian purple potatoes are exotic and delicious. They get their color from anthocyanins, the same antioxidants found in blueberries. What makes these Peruvian gems so wonderful is that they’re not just purple-skinned, but purple through-and-through, and they’ll stay that way even after they’re cooked.

Whatever way you eat them (purple potato salad, perhaps?), the vivid purple will certainly add an artistic element to your dish. And as my French friend says, “If food isn’t beautiful, then why eat at all?” 

(P.S. Keep it local – here’s how to grow your own.)

Image: libraryman