Colour mixtures of nature can add natural colours to food

Someone told it right – not only mouth, human eyes are also evolved in eating process. Colours of food items play a significant role in inducing our taste senses and hunger. But 70% food items available in market adds artificial colours, not at all good for our health. They gradually affect the functioning of stomach, intestine, kidneys and liver. So, it’s always better to go back to our nature and choose a few natural colour shades to add to our dishes. They are free of side effects and give extra immunity to our body too. So, through this column let me list a few such natural plant products that can be used for giving colours to our food items.

All of us get attracted by the dark red colour of tomatoes. That attractive colour given by ‘Licopene’ is also present in red fruits and vegetables. Red carrot, water melon and papaya are other fruits. Licopene extracts are used to give red, orange and yellow colours to food. Yellow colour of ice cream, fresh juices and bakery items is also given by Lutin present in marigold flowers. If lutin is added to poultry feed, yellow yolk of hen’s egg gets an attractive colour.

Dark violet colour of beetroot is due to Betanin pigment. Betanin can be extracted from beetroot juice to be used in chicken, sausage, ice cream, candies and soft drinks. Caramel used for birthday cakes are also extracted from beetroot. It gives brown and dark shades to cakes, chocolate, brown bread, jam, ice cream etc.

Red colour for dishes can also be given using the seeds of lipstick tree or red capsicum (paprika). Carotenoid present in carrots can be used to give natural orange, yellow and red colours to food items. It has the magical power to defend diseases and cell tear-outs. It also protects body from heart diseases and cancer. Saffron obtained from saffron flowers is used to give attractive colours to soaps, pulav and stoo.

Carmine extracted from Carminic acid produced by an insect Cochineal is used to give colour to food products and is used in beauty products too. Eye cooling green shades of leaves is due to chlorophyll pigment. It is found in large quantity in green spinach. This pigment can be used to give green shades to medicines, ice creams, sweets and soft drinks. Dark violet colour of brinjal due to anthocyanin, if extracted can be used to give shades to ice creams, sweets and many more.

It’s true we get every colour shade from natural plants around us. Yet I don’t know why man goes for artificial colors that are very injurious to our health and immunity power. Just have a thought!

Image source: Pixabay

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