Red Moon, Purple Roots: Treat Your Body with Dark Fruits in August

Why These Colours Matter

Dark red and purple foods are rich in pigments like anthocyanins and polyphenols, which act like natural shields for your cells. They help the body cope with everyday stress, pollution and even poor sleep or late nights.

Here’s what they may support:

• Calming inflammation (which is behind many chronic conditions)

• Helping your body clear out damaged cells

• Balancing hormones, especially in perimenopause

• Protecting the brain and nervous system

• Supporting your heart and blood vessels

• Keeping your metabolism running smoothly

• Boosting skin health and glow

• Improving memory and focus

• Supporting the immune system

There’s a quiet kind of magic in late summer. The light shifts, the berries ripen and something ancient in us starts to reach for richer, darker foods. Nature knows what she’s doing. The deep reds and purples showing up now (blackberries, blueberries, beetroot, cherries, pomegranates) aren’t just beautiful. They’re powerful.

These foods are packed with protective plant compounds that can help your body restore, rebalance and repair. Perfect timing as we head towards the slow descent into autumn.

Blueberries are famous for supporting eye health. Their deep blue pigments may help protect the tiny blood vessels in your retina and even guard against screen related eye strain, ideal if you’re staring at a laptop most days.

Pomegranates, cherries and blueberries may also help support fat metabolism, which is especially helpful during perimenopause when fat metabolism can get a bit sluggish.

And then there’s resveratrol, found in red grapes, mulberries, blackberries and blackcurrants. It’s a bit of a star. It acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, helps keep blood vessels elastic, supports brain health and may even help lower blood pressure. In simple terms: it helps you feel clearer, calmer and better protected.

Enter the Salvestrols

There’s another layer to this story. Some of the bitter compounds in plants (especially in their skins and seeds) are part of a group called salvestrols.

Salvestrols are the plant’s natural defence system. They protect the fruit from disease, fungus and predators. And when we eat them, they help protect us too.

These compounds don’t just mop up damage. They seem to have a knack for seeking out what’s not working in the body and helping bring it back into balance. They’re especially interesting when it comes to deep, long-term repair and may even help to protect against cancer.

But here’s the catch: most salvestrols have been bred out of modern fruit. They live in the bitter bits, the skins, the seeds, the parts we’re often told not to eat. And they’re far more concentrated in organic produce. When we spray plants with fungicides, they no longer need to protect themselves, so they may stop making these natural chemicals.

So if you’ve got chronic illness in your family, or just want to work with nature’s own wisdom, it’s worth choosing organic where you can.

How to Eat More of These Magical Foods

Luckily, August is the perfect time to load up. Here are some easy ways to work more deep red and purple into your days:

• Blackberries – These are everywhere right now, so get foraging. Add to yoghurt, porridge, blend into smoothies or just eat them straight from the bush.

• Blueberries – Scatter on pancakes, blend into veg-based smoothies or snack on with a few almonds.

• Beetroot – Roast with garlic and rosemary, blend into dips, or grate raw into salads and slaws.

• Cherries – Eat as they are, or simmer into a compote with cinnamon and a squeeze of lemon.

• Pomegranate – Sprinkle the seeds on salads, soups or roasted veg for a sweet-tart pop.

• Red grapes – Choose the darkest you can find. Grapes are highly sugary so pair with nuts or cheese for a balanced snack.

• Purple carrots or cabbage – Slice finely into slaws or stir-fries.

And don’t worry about perfection. Just begin. A few more colourful meals, a little more bitter here and there, a pause in August to let your body listen to what it’s really craving.

Because sometimes the best medicine grows quietly, ripens slowly and tastes like summer.