ABSTRACT
Natural colors are generally defined as materials extracted, isolated, or o th erwise derived from plants, animals, or minerals that are capable of im part ing a distinguishing color when added to foodstuffs. The most im portant natural colorants include anthocyanins (flavonoids), carotenoids, chloro phylls (porphyrins), curcuminoids (turmeric), betalaines (beetroot), and quinonoids (carmines). There is now a considerable am ount of evidence suggesting that some natural colors may be im portant nutritional antioxi dants and that their presence in the diet may reduce the risk of cardiovas cular disease, cancer, and other diseases associated with aging. The evi dence for nutritional prevention of diseases by anthocyanins, carotenoids, and curcuminoids has been obtained from a variety of interdisciplinary studies including epidemiological studies, distribution of the pigments in hum an organs and tissues, supplem entation studies, studies with small ani mals, and studies with transform ed and nontransform ed animal and h u man cells. This chapter will present information from studies that show that some natural colors have beneficial physiological effects including the re duction of the risk of diseases such as coronary heart disease and specific
types of cancer via a num ber of different pathways. O ther health-related properties of natural colors, including antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities, will also be discussed.
