Betalains are water-soluble, natural plant pigments that occur exclusively in clove-like plants. Alongside anthocyanins and carotionoids, they form the third group of natural plant pigments.
Betalains can be classified according to two color groups: red-violet ones are called betacyans and yellow ones are called betaxanthins.
The best-known representative of the betacyans is the dye betanin (berry red). This dye occurs naturally in beetroot. It is used in the cosmetics and food industries as a natural food colorant E 162.