There are lots of red vegetables available in the local markets. The red color in vegetables is caused by phytochemicals called anthocyanins and carotenoids (such as lycopene).
Did you know that these substances are responsible for blue and purple colors in foods as well? Actually, the type of color and pigment anthocyanins create depends on their quantity and the pH inside the plant tissue.
Without any further delay, I am presenting you the most complex list of red vegetables.
LIST OF RED VEGETABLES
# | VEGETABLE | COLOR LOCATION |
|---|---|---|
1. | Red Bell Peppers | Inside-Out Red |
2. | Red Chili Peppers | Inside-Out Red |
3. | Cherry Tomatoes | Inside-Out Red |
4. | Regular Tomatoes | Inside-Out Red |
5. | Brandywine Tomatoes | Inside-Out Red |
6. | Red Onion | Inside-Out Red |
7. | Red Cabbage | Inside-Out Red |
8. | Red Carrots (Atomic Red) | Inside-Out Red |
9. | Red Corn | Inside-Out Red |
10. | Red Chard | Inside-Out Red |
11. | Red Leaf Lettuce | Inside-Out Red |
12. | Red Potatoes | Inside-Out Red |
13. | Radicchio | Inside-Out Red |
14. | Beets | Inside-Out Red |
15. | Radishes | Outside Red |
16. | Rhubarb | Outside Red |
17. | Red Okra | Outside Red |
18. | Red Sweet Potato | Outside Red |
IMAGE GALLERY OF RED FRUITS
RED BELL PEPPERS
RED CHILI PEPPERS
CHERRY TOMATOES
REGULAR TOMATOES
BRANDYWINE TOMATOES
RED ONION
RED CABBAGE
RED CARROTS (ATOMIC RED)
RED CORN
RED CHARD
RED LEAF LETTUCE
RED POTATOES
RADICCHIO
BEETS
RED OKRA
RED SWEET POTATO
BENEFITS OF RED VEGETABLES FOR YOUR BODY
Red vegetables are excellent for your health. Not only are these rich in dietary fiber, they also include various red pigments that provide many health benefits as these substances exhibit potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory tendencies.
More precisely, there are several active substances in red vegetables that promote better health:
- Vitamins A & C
- Lycopene
- Anthocyanins
- Quercetin
Each of these substances provides special health benefits for your body and I am going to analyze them in the paragraphs below.
VITAMIN A
Vitamin A (more precisely its plant-based form called provitamin A or beta-carotene) is a very potent antioxidant that protects your body from harmful free radicals. Also, it is connected with these benefits:
- Protects your eyes from advanced age-related macular degeneration
- Promotes the good health of your bones and teeth
- Improves function of your immune system and white blood cells
- Reduces your cholesterol levels
- Prevents formation of urinary stones
- Promotes wound healing and tissue regeneration
- Promotes the health of your skin and soft tissue
- Reduces inflammation in your body
- Aids in reproduction and sperm health
You can find vitamin A mostly in brightly colored vegetables such as carrots or sweet potatoes.
VITAMIN C
Vitamin C is a well-known substance. Vitamin C is a very potent antioxidant that protects your body from harmful free radicals.
Also, it is connected with these benefits:
- Improves iron absorption
- Reduces high blood pressure
- Reduction of high cholesterol
- Promotes function of white blood cells
- Important for the health of your skin, hair, and nails (delays aging process)
- Improves wound healing processes
- Stimulates collagen production
- Helps prevent cancer
- Aids in the treatment of osteoarthritis
- Promotes the health of your eyes
You can find vitamin C mostly in chili peppers. However, you can find it also in red fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, tomatoes, and papaya.
LYCOPENE
One of the carotenoids, lycopene is a substance that gives a lot of vegetables its red color. Not only that, it is a potent antioxidant with many health benefits:
- Reduction of a chance of developing cancer
- Promotes the health of a prostate gland
- Lowers the risk of heart disease
- Promotes healthy function of your arteries
- Boosts sperm concentration in men
- Protects skin against sunburn
- Helps prevent diabetes
- Helps prevent osteoporosis
- Reduction of age-related macular degeneration
Did you know that lycopene is much more easily absorbed by your body when cooked? So don’t forget to place your tomatoes (one of the richest sources of lycopene that is technically a fruit) on the pan and heat them.
ANTHOCYANINS
These substances provide several benefits for your body:
- Help fight inflammation
- Help to lower LDL cholesterol (which is the “bad” cholesterol)
- Support eye health, specifically the health of the retina
- Help to boost the immune system
- Act as anticarcinogens (battles cancer-causing cells) especially throughout the digestive tract
- Reduce tumor growth
- Limit the activity of cancer cells throughout the body
- Help to reduce effects of Alzheimer´s disease
- Help protect your liver against alcohol damage
To my surprise, there have been conducted many research studies that have been dealing with anthocyanins. Just a quick online search will provide you with a lot of material to study.
QUERCETIN
Quercetin is another flavonoid hidden inside brightly colored fruits and vegetables. Flavonoids, in general, have potent antioxidant properties and provide your body with these benefits:
- Help maintain healthy blood pressure
- Reduce risk of developing certain types of cancer
- Initiate apoptosis (cell death) of cancerous cells
- Prevent the release of histamine by your immune system
- Reduce the number of free radicals roaming inside your body
- Have potent anti-inflammatory properties
- Reduce symptoms of arthritis
- Maintain healthy arteries and reduce cholesterol
As you can see, quercetin is a very potent substance that can help your body to function much better. It can be found most commonly in various types of peppers.
