Polyhydroxylated flavylium ions, such as 3',4',7-trihydroxyflavylium chloride (P1) and its more water-soluble 7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (P2), are readily accessible by chemical synthesis and suitable models of natural anthocyanins in terms of color and species distribution in aqueous solution. Owing to their catechol B-ring, they rapidly bind Fe-III, weakly interact with Fe-II and promote its autoxidation to Fe-III. Both pigments inhibit heme-induced lipid peroxidation in mildly acidic conditions (a model of postprandial oxidative stress in the stomach), the colorless (chalcone) forms being more potent than the colored forms. Finally, P1 and P2 are moderate ligands of human serum albumin (HSA), their likely carrier in the blood circulation, with chalcones having a higher affinity for HSA than the corresponding colored forms.