
The red-orange, purple-blue pigments in certain fruits, vegetables and tubers called anthocyanins—what’s in the Tex-Mex nacho salad below—appear to help in the battle of various chronic conditions like cognitive decline and diabetes. But a recent report in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry suggests not all anthocyanins are created equal.
The beneficial effect of anthocyanins on type 2 diabetes, according to scientists from the University of Turku in Finland, is increased if the anthocyanin is in a form that is acylated. That means that a chemical acyl group is added to the sugar molecules of anthocyanin, impacting how compounds are absorbed and metabolized.
According to the research, acylated anthocyanins are more potent antioxidants and can have a greater impact on glucose metabolism, inflammation suppression and the gut microbiome. And it turns out a greater amount of these acylated anthocyanins can be found in purple potatoes, purple sweet potatoes, radishes, purple carrots and red cabbage—all the more reason to serve up this cabbage-laced crunchy Tex-Mex nacho salad for a fresh spin on lunch or dinner.
1 1/2 C cooked or canned black beans
1 1/2 C cooked or canned pinto beans
1 1/2 C frozen (thawed) or cooked fresh corn kernels
4 C shredded red cabbage
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 mango, peeled and cubed
3 scallions (green onions), sliced
3/4 C plain yogurt
juice of 1 lime
1 avocado
1 chipotle chili pepper in adobo sauce
1 t cumin powder
1/2 t salt
1/4 C pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
3 C crumbled tortilla chips
In a large bowl, toss together beans, corn, cabbage, tomato, mango and scallions.
Place yogurt, 3 tablespoons water, lime juice, avocado flesh, chipotle chili pepper, cumin and salt in a blender container and blend until smooth. Add avocado dressing to bowl with bean mixture and toss to combine. Just before serving, scatter on pumpkin seeds and tortilla chips. Makes four servings.
See also: Recipe for Health: Kale Pear Salad with Hazelnut Dressing
Matthew Kadey, MS, RD
Matthew Kadey, MS, RD, is a James Beard Award–winning food journalist, dietitian and author of the cookbook Rocket Fuel: Power-Packed Food for Sport + Adventure (VeloPress 2016). He has written for dozens of magazines, including Runner’s World, Men’s Health, Shape, Men’s Fitness and Muscle and Fitness.