Anthocyanin-rich vegetables as functional foods: Current knowledge and future perspectives

Abstract:

Anthocyanins are naturally occurring water-soluble flavonoid pigments responsible for the red, purple, and blue coloration of many fruits and vegetables. In recent years, anthocyanin-rich vegetables have attracted considerable attention owing to their dual role as nutrient-dense foods and sources of health-promoting bioactive compounds. With the global increase in non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, obesity, and certain cancers, there is a growing demand for functional foods that can contribute to disease prevention and improved human health. Vegetables such as purple lettuce, red cabbage, purple cauliflower, purple broccoli, purple carrot, eggplant, purple sweet potato, red onion, and purple kale are rich sources of anthocyanins, particularly cyanidin, delphinidin, peonidin, pelargonidin, petunidin, and malvidin derivatives. These compounds exhibit strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-diabetic, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, and anticancer activities through diverse molecular mechanisms, including scavenging reactive oxygen species, modulating inflammatory signaling pathways, and regulating cellular metabolism. Beyond their nutritional significance, anthocyanins also contribute to plant adaptation by protecting tissues against ultraviolet radiation, oxidative stress, and environmental challenges. Advances in genomics, molecular breeding, genome editing, and metabolomics have accelerated the development of anthocyanin-enriched vegetable cultivars with enhanced nutritional quality and consumer appeal. However, challenges such as low bioavailability, instability during processing and storage, and genotype × environment interactions continue to limit their full utilization. This review highlights the chemistry, biosynthesis, dietary sources, health benefits, genetic regulation, breeding strategies, and post-harvest considerations of anthocyanin-rich vegetables. It also discusses current challenges and future prospects for integrating anthocyanin-rich vegetables into sustainable agricultural systems and functional food programs, emphasizing their potential to improve public health while meeting the increasing demand for naturally fortified vegetables.