Anthocyanins are considered as the ’sunscreen’ of plants. It absorbs the blue-green and UV light thereby protects plant tissues from high light stress emitted by the powerful sun. The color shifts that occur in plants, fruits or flowers protect them from attackers like animals or insects. It is the anthocyanins that bring the red color in apples, the reddish hue in rose’s new leaves or the dark blue pigments in pansies.

Aside from being the “sunscreen” of plants, anthocyanins are great antioxidants. And over the years more and more nutritional supplements come out in the market with the promise of longevity and other health benefits. Among that came out are Noni juice, acai fruit juice, Malunggay (Moringa) juice and many others. But if you truly want to get a load of anthocyanins which are powerful for antioxidants then consume freshly harvested fruits instead. Foods that are very rich in anthocyanins include purple corn, chokeberry, red grape, eggplant, black raspberry, and wild blueberry. Red currant, cherry, raspberry, acai and Marion blackberry are also source of anthocyanins.