And you should keep the skin on the get the most benefits. Purple foods used by Ricardo include eggplant, cabbage and edible flowers, including purple sweet potato leaves. Fuschia: An inedible type of flower with pink and purple petals. Purple is a wonderful color that symbolizes royalty and ambition. When choosing flowers to pair with a dish, he says it’s crucial to “respect each ingredient.” The flavor of the flower matters, but so does the color. Tulip: Large, bell-shaped flowers with long, stable green stems. Many purple foods contain anthocyanins. “I marinate violet-colored flowers,” he says, “that add aromatic sweetness to foie gras. Here are examples of nutritious purple and blue foods: Fruits such as blackberries, blueberries, plums and raisins -- These fruits make a great snack or can be added to cereal, oatmeal, pancakes, salads or desserts. All brightly coloured fruit and vegetables contain antioxidants – compounds which play a key role in protecting our bodies – but many naturally purple-coloured foods contain a certain antioxidant called anthocyanin.. When eaten raw, these purple varieties tend to have more tannins than their greener counterparts. Purple Corn: A variety of corn from South America. These are beneficial plant pigments which give fruit and veg their deep red, purple or blue hues. Purple food - think red cabbage, eggplant, plums and berries - are not only the powerhouses of the plant world but some of the most delicious. A 2012 study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that they can help lower blood pressure and lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.. Purple potatoes are usually smaller than regular potatoes. Purple potatoes can also be heart healthy. Purple-leaved lettuces, kale, purple cauliflower and of course, purple cabbage. Vegetables such as eggplants, purple cabbage and purple potatoes -- These healthful options may be added to salads or even served as a main ingredient in entrees. There are also so many delicious foods that are purple, like blackberries, eggplant, and even purple sweet potatoes! These days, green leafy vegetables tend to hog the limelight (and with good reason), but don't forget about the wonderful health benefits of purple foods… So if you are making, say, a red leaf lettuce salad you might want to serve it with a slightly sweet or creamy dressing, rather than an acid-based vinaigrette. Can be used as a stain or dye as well as in food to make sweet desserts.