Purple Corn Health Benefit and Covid 19


There are ongoing studies about Multi-system Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS) in both children and adults noted as post Covid-19 after effects or complications, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Though rare, this complication affects various organs like the heart, kidneys, lungs, brain and skin and is said to be serious.

Photo above by Chinh Le Duc on Unsplash.

Some adults and children were observed to develop MIS several days after contracting Covid-19. Experts are yet unsure why this happens and initially believe that underlying pre-conditions are to blame. MIS is a serious matter and needs immediate medical attention. And because MIS involves high level inflammation, it is possible that anti-inflammatory antioxidants may help in its prevention.


A powerful antioxidant is anthocyanin which is known to help prevent deadly illnesses derived primarily from inflammation, like heart diseases, cancer, arthritis and diabetes. So, anything inflammatory can be prevented with anthocyanin. It even has anti-microbial and anti-obesity properties, and some reports say that being obese makes a person more susceptible to the corona virus. 

Most of all, medical reports also say that anthocyanin has anti-viral benefits, making it an ideal preventive measure to thwart Covid-19 before it affects a person. If people get regular amounts of anthocyanin in their bodies, this antioxidant can beef up their immunity and possibly help protect them from Covid-19 as a preventive measure while they have not been given an anti-Covid vaccine.

Or, with the vaccine, anthocyanin can help add to a person's protection by increasing the body's immunity, particularly its anti-inflammatory benefits, along with the strict observation of safety health protocols like wearing surgical masks, face shields and maintaining social distancing. Maybe, MIS can even be prevented in case a person contracts the virus. But this is yet to be proven. No study has been made to this effect yet.

A powerful source of anthocyanin are bright or dark colored fruits and vegetables, like eggplants, red bell peppers, oranges and especially purple corn. Actually, purple corn has the highest anthocyanin content so far among natural foods. And the husks and corncobs are the richest sources of anthocyanin from purple corns. The best variety comes from Peru, particularly those planted on high mountains. The ultraviolet rays from the sunlight triggers the corn to produce deeper purple colors (as a survival effort) and thus produce more anthocyanin to protect itself. 

Thus, the amount of anthocyanin in purple corn depends on how dark the purple color is. Corns that have slightly purple grains have smaller amounts of the antioxidant. For a preventive measure and an additive to having a stronger immune system, make sure to get purple corn juice from dark colored purple corns.