31 Foods That Are Red

If you’re looking to catch up on some red foods for your diet, there are a lot of great choices out there that have numerous health benefits and are delicious to boot!

Some of these foods have benefits for your long-term health, strengthen the immune system, and are vital to proper liver function. Without further ado, here are the top 31 red foods to add to your diet today.

A Complete List of Foods That Are Red

Strawberries

Strawberries are delicious and well appreciated for their variety of use, whether it be jams, jellies, ice creams, or other desserts. They are also used to spice up different household products like lip gloss and perfumes.

They are very high in fiber, vitamins, and potassium and make a great addition to salads, fruit bowls, and dessert options.

See Also: Foods with 5 letters

Red Cherries

Cherries are a delicious treat, but nothing beats a beautiful red cherry for your sweet dishes. They are packed full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that can help keep your body healthy.

Some research suggests that cherries may also help you get a good night’s sleep and protect against diabetes, arthritis, and gout.

Peppers

Peppers are a common treat in numerous dishes around the world and is a very fundamental ingredient in many cuisines. In some dishes, they are served cooked, while in others, they are raw. High in Vitamin A and C, they also have the added benefit of containing antioxidants and carotenoids, which are beneficial for your skin.

Pomegranate

Pomegranates are an oft-forgotten fruit with a delicious and immediately recognizable taste. A rich source of vitamin C, the pomegranate hails from Iran and northern India, although harvesters worldwide recognize the value of this delicious fruit today and grow it all around the world.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are delicious. Don’t let their commonness fool you; tomatoes are still a wonderful food that you can add to just about any dish. A great source of vitamin C, vitamin K, and potassium, tomatoes are wonderful whether they’re prepared raw or cooked into a dish. Many different sauces such as the classic pizza sauce rely on this great ingredient to give them flavor.

Plums

Another delicious red fruit, only some types of plums are actually red. In particular, the Victoria plum has a distinct red color that distinguishes it from other plums. It can be used in a variety of sweet or savory dishes, but it certainly has a place in the dessert family with recipes like plum pudding being popular all around the world.

Rhubarb

Another vegetable that not many people know about, rhubarb is definitely something that you have to try to understand the appeal of. It is very tart, almost bitter in taste, but it blends beautifully if you simply add sugar and pair it with ice-cream. Loaded with vitamins and minerals, this tasty veggie is definitely worth a try.

Red Spinach

Red spinach is exactly what the name suggests—spinach that’s red! It’s especially tasty when cooked into certain savory dishes, and the plant has a lot of nutritional value as well. Notably, the leaves are a great source of vitamin A and C, as well as iron and other minerals.

Blood Orange

Don’t let the name fool you; blood orange is actually a reddish color and has a strong tart taste when compared to traditional oranges. You can enjoy blood orange raw or added to salads, juices, or other dishes that need that special zing of orange in them. Just like regular oranges, they’re filled with antioxidants and vitamin C.

Beetroot

Beetroot is a vegetable that is very distinct for its flavor and certainly packs a punch when eaten raw. It has a wealth of nutritional value, however, and can be consumed in many different ways, whether boiled, raw, or roasted.

Red Chili Peppers

Hailing from the same family as the aforementioned bell peppers, chili peppers certainly pack a punch. Maybe the red coloring is a warning to try if you dare! Capsaicin in chili peppers is what’s responsible for that fiery feeling in your mouth when you eat spicy food.

Red Onion

Try as you might, you’ll probably never find a more versatile food than the red onion. They can be eaten raw, grilled, or cooked, and go great in a number of dishes. With a bunch of health benefits like fiber, antioxidants, and antibacterial properties, this one’s a classic.

Radishes

With a strong acquired taste, radishes have a very sharp flavor that adds some pep to any dish. Loaded to the brim with vitamins A, E, K, C, and B6, they’re worth adding to a dish if you want to give it a unique flavor.

Cranberries

This bitter fruit is a great add to any dish if you’re looking for a tart flavor. There are also lots of ways to prepare cranberries in a number of dishes, and they go great in both savory and sweet dishes to balance out the flavor. Cranberries can lower the risk of urinary tract infections and help immune function.

Red Kidney Beans

A great food to try, red kidney beans are an iconic staple in many countries around the world. An excellent source of protein, kidney beans are popular in Indian and Dutch cuisine, although these beans make a great base for lots of different savory meals.

Apples

Apples are iconic, and for good reason. Those delicious red apples make a great snack to munch on and go beautifully in a range of sweet and savory dishes. In particular, good old fashioned apple pie makes use of this simple, homely ingredient to deliver an unforgettable taste experience.

Raspberries

These bright red fruits are iconic and perfect for making jams and jellies. Their sweet, simple flavor makes for a great spread on toast, flavoring in teas, and a great part of a fruit dessert bowl.

Red Cabbage

With a stronger flavor than regular cabbage, red cabbage has a delicious flavor and tastes particularly delicious when cooked, although it can certainly be served raw in salads or as coleslaw. It’s a good source of fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and B6, as well as antioxidants.

Red Lentils

A number of delicious foods are used to make curry or stews, but perhaps nothing works better than lentils. Red lentils add a great flavor to many dishes and are an excellent source of protein to boot. They are one of the simplest red foods to cook and make a great addition to many curries and stews.

Carrots

Carrots are a great orange-reddish food that can be eaten raw, roasted, grilled, or cooked. Not only is it a great flavor boost to any stew or soup, but it’s particularly delicious when served on a veggie tray with hummus, cole slaw, or ranch.

Prickly Pear

One of the rarer finds in the grocery store, prickly pear is a, well, prickly pear and has a very sweet flavor that you won’t soon forget. The fruit is a great addition to sweet dishes and useful for treating high cholesterol, as well as containing anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties.

Red Potatoes

A delicious source of potassium, there’s nothing simpler (or tastier) than this species of potato. Better yet, you can add it to just about any dish you want by turning it into mash, roasting, or baking the potatoes.

Radicchio

A strong taste, radicchio is definitely something you have to get used to. It’s often served grilled in risotto dishes and makes a great source of vitamin K.

Red Snapper

A native of the western Atlantic Ocean, the red snapper is a great centerpiece for any dish and is a great source of omega 3 fatty acids and protein.

Red Salmon

With a distinct flavor, salmon instantly adds distinction to a dish and boasts lots of great health benefits in the process, such as B-12, niacin, potassium, and various vitamins.

Beef

One of the many dinner foods that are red has to be beef. A very common food around the world, beef gets its distinct red color from the myoglobin content of the meat. You’ll often find this food chopped up to make various dishes or served as a patty on burgers.

Lobster

Lobster is an iconic seafood dish that is as appetizing as it is colorful. This shellfish is often served boiled or steamed and makes for an excellent source of protein, zinc, and omega-3.

 Red Rice

Red rice is an unpolished rice that is distinct from white rice due to its different color and flavor. Filled to the brim with fiber and essential minerals like zinc, potassium, and iron.

 Quinoa

Quinoa is a delicious food that you may never have heard of. Hailing from South America, this great food offers all amino acids, making it a great protein source, and its flavor makes it a great choice for many savory dishes.

Goji Berries

Labeled as a superfood, these bright berries are bursting with flavor and can potentially help with diabetes and hypertension.

Red Velvet Cake

A favorite for many food lovers and in particular those who enjoy their desserts. Many use beets in their recipe which is what delivers that red color you find in the end result. You’ll be glad to know it’s more than just a red-tinted vanilla cake. Red velvet cake is a famous dessert in the southern United States and is claimed to have started during the Great Depression with the popularization of red food coloring.

Conclusion

There are lots of delicious and unique red foods out there that can meet all of your dietary needs. If you haven’t already, add some of these wonderful and colorful foods to your diet today!