On Food and Cooking

We can distinguish and enjoy the many
hues of anthocyanin- and carotenoid-rich
plants — as well as the same hues in
paintings and clothing, makeup and
warning signs — because our eyes are
designed to see well in this color range of
yellow to orange to red. It now looks as
though we owe this ability to leaves and
fruits! It turns out that we are among a
small handful of animal species with eyes
that can distinguish red from green. The
other species are tropical forest–dwelling
primates like our probable ancestors, and
they have in common a need to detect their
foods against the green of the forest
canopy. The young leaves of many tropical
plants are red with anthocyanins, which
apparently absorb excess solar energy
during the momentary shafts of direct
sunlight in an otherwise shaded life; and
young leaves are more tender than the
older, green, fibrous leaves, more easily