Plant natural pigments: the story of anthocyanins

Plant natural pigments: the story of anthocyanins

The colors of plants deeply attract humans and other animals. Anthocyanin is a kind of water-soluble natural pigment widely found in plants in nature, and most of the main coloring substances in fruits, vegetables and flowers are related to it.

At present, there are 26 kinds of anthocyanins, and there are 6 important ones in food, namely geranium pigment, cornflower pigment, delphinium pigment, peony pigment, morning glory pigment and malva pigment. The red color of strawberry mainly comes from geranium pigment. , The purple of purple potato mainly comes from cornflower pigment, and the blue of blueberry mainly comes from mallow pigment. In different pH environments, anthocyanins can show different colors, red in acidic environments, and blue in alkaline environments. Different kinds of anthocyanins can be transformed through reactions such as saccharification and methylation. Anthocyanins are mainly used in food coloring, but also in dyes, medicine, cosmetics, etc.

Anthocyanins-one of the most effective natural antioxidants

Anthocyanin is a water-soluble pigment and belongs to flavonoids. Studies have shown that it is the most effective antioxidant found by humans today. Its antioxidant properties are 50 times higher than vitamin E and 200 times higher than vitamin C. Anthocyanins can bring many benefits to the human body:

 Helps prevent a variety of diseases related to free radicals, including cancer and cardiovascular diseases;

 Promote the regeneration of rhodopsin in retinal cells, improve vision and improve eye health;

 Prevent and delay skin sagging and aging caused by oxidation reaction;

 Enhance immunity and reduce the chance of catching a cold.