What world would it be without colors? It's a question that doesn't arise. So the question to ask is: where do these colors come from? How does nature amaze and amaze us with the brilliant green expanses of summer meadows, the delicate pink of a flower or the warm red of a glass of wine? It is a physical phenomenon in which visible light (i.e. in the frequency spectrum that makes it visible) encounters an object. The object hit by the light absorbs part of the incident light and reflects the remaining part: the reflected light defines the color of the object , while the absorbed light defines its complementary color.
Nature enriches our days with magnificent colors and shades, and it is worth starting to know its origins and the uses that man can make of them.
YELLOW AND ORANGE
The family of biological molecules that generates these colors is very large and widespread, present in most commonly used fruits, tubers and flowers: these are carotenoids. From the bright yellow of lutein and zeaxanthin (carrots, peppers, egg yolk, melon), to the bright orange of beta carotene (carrots and pumpkins). These molecules have antioxidant properties and protect the eyes and skin, both directly as lutein and zeaxanthin, and as a precursor of Vitamin A such as beta carotene.
GREEN
Green is the most widespread color in nature, reflected by a molecule fundamental to our existence and that of all living beings on the planet: chlorophyll . It is present in every leaf, in many fruits and also in algae. It is found in plant organelles called chloroplasts and is able to absorb the sun's energy , which travels in the form of light, and activate the process of photosynthesis. It is a very powerful antioxidant and participates in the liver's cleansing processes in the body. This is why it is said that vegetables of this color are good for purification : it is thanks to the action of chlorophyll (and also other molecules).
BLUE AND PURPLE
Blue is the rarest color in nature. The only molecules capable of reflecting it are anthocyanins (in Greek Cyanos means blue ) but only in alkaline pH conditions. In fact, they are not only responsible for the intense blue of some flowers, but also for the dark red of cherries (acid pH) or the bright purple of blueberries (neutral pH). Also giving this color is violaxanthin , present in violets and lavender , and in some algae. Anthocyanins, belonging to the mega family of flavonoids, also have a strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity , and in the human body they focus their protective activity on the veins and capillaries.
RED
Although red is a very present color in the world around us, reflected by common molecules such as lycopene in tomatoes, carotenoids in pomegranate and raspberries, hemoglobin present in the blood and all forms of iron , it has always been very difficult for man to obtain and use. In addition to being the most coveted and sought after for the value of power, prestige and nobility that has always been associated with it. The ancient Egyptians, as well as Indians, Greeks, Romans and Aztecs, extracted red from a plant parasite, cochineal . Only the Phoenicians used murex , a mollusk, to create their purple , from which they made an enormous fortune. Without the knowledge and techniques of the ancients, medieval dyers found themselves obtaining red from rubia roots, lichens and lakes , but it was a dull color, which often faded or tended towards brown. At a certain point in history, with the discovery of the new world, the color red had become so precious that pirates attacked ships loaded with this pigment returning from the Americas to Europe. With the arrival of cochineal red, painting also began to flourish again: we find this special color on the canvases of Caravaggio, Rubens, up to Renoir and Van Gogh.
Cochineal red is the basis of Magenta 18-1750 , the Color of the Year 2023 chosen by the Pantone Institute. Experts define it as “ a balanced crimson red, characterized by a perfect balance between hot and cold; a vibrant, optimistic but unconventional colour ”. But in reality the color Magenta does not exist. And how? I see it , you'll think. It is not part of the optical spectrum and its hue cannot be generated with light of a single wavelength, but can only be obtained by superimposing equal quantities of red light and blue light . The eye and brain then manage to create it with a brilliant physiological expedient. This makes Magenta an even more special color!
And here we are at the end of our journey into the world of colours, hoping to have given you an interesting point of view, at least curious, to never stop being surprised by the beauty of nature.
The season of colors is certainly Spring , where everything blooms, is reborn and renews itself. We have created a program dedicated to this beautiful season , with the green of purification, the orange that protects the skin and the eyes, the purple that takes care of the brain and the nervous system, finishing with the red that nourishes and makes the skin.