Purple corn is a variety of maize, a crop native to the valleys of the Andes mountains in South America. Local make a drink called chica morada.

Purple Corn composition
Many substances are found in purple corn, including phenolic acids and anthocyanins.

Benefits of Purple Corn
Promoters claim purple corn lowers cholesterol and helps fight obesity. Recently a purple corn extract has been available with 6% anthocyanin concentration.

Lutein or zeaxanthin in Yellow Corn and Vision
I normally don't eat corn, but one day when I had two ears of corn, I noticed several hours later that my vision had become sharper. This lasted half a day and then returned to normal. A day later I ate 2 ears of corn for a second time, and a few hours later my vision got better again. I think the lutein or xeazanthin in the corn helped my vision but I am not sure.

Purple Corn research studies
Nutr Res Pract. 2015. Anti-diabetic effect of purple corn extract on C57BL/KsJ db/db mice.

PLoS One. 2013. Anthocyanin-rich purple corn extract inhibit diabetes-associated glomerular angiogenesis.

Characterization of anthocyanin-rich waste from purple corncobs (Zea mays) and its application to color milk.
J Agric Food Chem. 2005. Jing P, Giusti MM. University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
Pigment production from anthocyanin-rich purple corncobs generates a deeply colored waste precipitate. Our objectives were to characterize this anthocyanin-rich waste and to find a suitable application in a food matrix.

Dietary cyanidin 3-O-beta-D-glucoside-rich purple corn color prevents obesity and ameliorates hyperglycemia in mice.
J Nutr. 2003. Research Center for Biomarkers of Preventive Medicine, Doshisha University, Imadegawa-dori, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto Japan.
Anthocyanins, which are used as a food coloring, are widely distributed in human diets, suggesting that we ingest large amounts of anthocyanins from plant-based foods. Mice were fed control, cyanidin 3-glucoside-rich purple corn color, high fat (HF) or HF + purple corn color diet for 12 wk. Dietary purple corn color significantly suppressed the HF diet-induced increase in body weight gain, and white and brown adipose tissue weights. Feeding the HF diet markedly induced hypertrophy of the adipocytes in the epididymal white adipose tissue compared with the control group. In contrast, the induction did not occur in the HF + purple corn color group.  Our findings provide a biochemical and nutritional basis for the use of purple corn color or anthocyanins as a functional food factor that may have benefits for the prevention of obesity and diabetes.

Purple corn drink ?
Lima, Perů, May, 2007- Dear Sales Manager, We are a growing Peruvian Agroindustrial Company, our flag product is the PURPLE CORN DRINK ( CHICHA MORADA FILTRANTE ), also very well known as "The Inka's Gold Drink", with high content in anthocyanin, powerful antioxidant that protects against stomach and colon cancer, it reduces cholesterol and obesity, it increases the sanguineous flow, it has high content of calcium and iron. Purple corn drink is a traditional Peruvian beverage, now we offer it as a dehydrated product in a filter bag 100% natural ( 0.88 oz ) without acids or additives. It contains dehydrataded purple corn, cinnamon and clove, it renders 2 LITERS of pure flavour of natural purple corn drink. The preparation is easy: place the filter bag in ˝ liter of water, boil for 4 minutes, add 1 ˝ liters of cold water, sugar and lemon juice to the taste and obtain 2 liters ready to drink of an energetic natural beverage. Our product has health registry, RPIN (registry as a Peruvian company at the Production Ministry), ADEX member (Peruvian export association), nutrition facts as it demands American FDA, the company also has a FDA registration for export business to the United States, Europe and rest of the world. If you allow us, we can send you some samples without cost, and you may obtain more information regarding this innovating product visiting our web site:www.industriasrodi.com . Yours truly. Ronald Chavez, General Manager, Industrias Rodi SRL Address: Jirón Las Alcaparras. Urb. Las Flores. SJL. Lima. Peru.

Questions
Q. What is the ORAC value of purple corn vegetable?
   A. I have not yet come across any reports regarding the ORAC value of purple corn.