This year I managed to grow a crop of purple brocolli - a total delight to eat this winter knowing I was absorbing some healthy vitamins, minerals and  phytochemcials.

Some notable nutrient values are displayed in the infographic below. Most green leafy vegetables are a good source of folate, in general. Notably, folate is involved in the making of new blood cells and DNA replication but also essential for the correct production of neurotransmitters that regulate mood, sleep, motivation, and cognition. Momma was right when she said to eat your greens!

Do you know what makes PSB purple though? That is where the phytochemcials come in. Anthocyanins are the phytochemcials responsible for the red, purple and blue colours of fruits and vegetables. For example, berries, blackcurrants, grapes, purple sweet potato.

While we have government recommended daily allowences (RDAs) for vitamin and minerals to stop us becoming pathological, we don't yet have recommendations for phytochemcials, other than five a day. We associate phytochemcials with repair and reduced ageing due to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions - the antidotes to oxidants and inflammation which create damage and the perfect inflammatory environment in which dis-ease can grow. I am sure preventative medicines will one day include recommended amounts but for now why not eat the rainbow as different coloured veggies contain different chemicals and actions for holistic health!

These purple chemicals work to protect our cardiovascular systemdelciated, especiakllywithin our ulce systme on our smaller capillary networks, or microciculation, such as the eyes and brain within the cardiovascular system.