Effects of Purple Vegetables on Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Risk Factors

The hypothesis is that richly coloured purple vegetables, rich in polyphenolic compounds including anthocyanins will have higher antioxidant and other biological activities, than more lightly coloured versions of these foods. Diets of human subjects will be modified to allow consumption of 200-300 g of raw carrots or cooked potatoes. Participants will be randomized to consume either orange or purple carrots, or white or purple potatoes. They will consume these diets for 12 weeks and bioavailability of polyphenolics will be examined as well as anthropometry and blood biochemistry for changes in risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease.