Sometimes it seems like every food is pumpkin flavored this time of year.
Although pumpkin is great, it isn’t the only food in season during the fall.
Seasonal, local produce is definitely cheaper due to the decreased travel time and expense.
But, aside from a lower cost, there are several benefits of eating foods that are in season.
First, they taste better.
If a food has been freshly picked and is in season, it tastes amazing.
Have you ever tried a tomato straight from the vine during the summer?
It’s usually incredible!
For the best flavor, it’s best to eat seasonal foods.
In season foods are also higher in vitamins and minerals.
When a fruit or vegetable is harvested, it automatically begins to lose nutrients.
The further food has to travel, the more nutrients it loses.
Not only that, exposure to heat, sun, and air tend to reduce nutrition content even further.
Not to mention the price tag will likely be incredibly high!
Pumpkin
Of course I have to start with the fall staple, pumpkin.
Yes, it is edible on its own and not just for pie filling or jack-o-lanterns.
Theantioxidants in pumpkin have also been foundto be particularly powerful in helping control blood sugar and blood pressure.
Also, who doesn’t associate a delicious apple pie with the fall season?
Apples are incredibly high in antioxidants and fiber.
Apples can be eaten in a variety of ways, but are great for an on-the-go, portable snack.
Consider eating different types of apples too, as each has a slightly different nutrient profile.
The sweet seeds can be eaten raw or made into a deep red-colored juice.
These antioxidants are highly anti-inflammatory andmay help prevent a variety of diseasesfrom cancer to Alzheimer’s.
If you want to add pomegranates to your diet, the best way is to eat the raw seeds.
Some grocery stores sell the seeds alone, removed from the fruit.
Parsnips
Parsnips are a white colored root vegetable that look similar to carrots.
They can also be used in the same manner as carrots due to their hearty, dense texture.
Parsnips are low in calories, but incredibly high in fiber with over six grams of fiber per cup.
Fiber isexceptionally beneficialfor digestion, lowering cholesterol, and weight maintenance.
Parsnips are also loaded with minerals from the soil such as potassium, magnesium, zinc, and iron.
The minerals they contain make them incrediblybeneficial for heart health.
They are also high infolate, a vitamin that has shown to lower the risk of birth defects.
They can also be boiled and mashed for a lower carbohydrate version of mashed potatoes.
This tiny, yet nutritionally powerful berry is incredibly high in antioxidants.
Cranberries have also been frequently studied for their benefits inpreventing urinary tract infectionsand keeping the bladder healthy.
Cranberries are best enjoyed dried, which makes them sweet, similar to raisins.
The same goes for cranberry juice, which is usually mixed with other fruit juices to add sweetness.
Delicata squash
Delicata squash is my favorite winter squash by far.
It is an oblong shape and a yellow-ish, green color.
After roasting, it is sweet and tastes almost like summer corn delicious.
It can be eaten on its own or stuffed with a variety of toppings.
Delicata squash is high in fiber, containing up to six grams per cup.
Its yellow color indicates that it is high in vitamins A and C, both important for immune function.
It is also high in minerals such as iron, calcium,and potassium.
The delicata squash has a thin skin, making it cook quicker than some other squash varieties.
It is also popular because it is quite low in calories when compared to pasta.
It is high in lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants that have beenlinked to a reduced riskof age-related vision loss.
A spaghetti squash can be baked or microwaved.
It can be topped with your favorite spaghetti sauce from marinara to alfredo.
Persimmons
Persimmons are my favorite fall fruit.
Persimmons may even help alter alcohol metabolism, reducing the severity of hangovers.
One sweet potato provides over 200 percent of the vitamin A needed for the day.
Sweet potatoes are also high in vitamin C, vitamin B6, and several different minerals.
Cauliflower is incredibly low in calories, yet very high in fiber.
Cauliflower tastes amazing roasted and topped with a little bit of parmesan cheese.
Or roast it then mash it, like you would a potato.
But, you should also eat foods you really enjoy.
Do a little bit of experimenting this fall by trying a new seasonal food or recipe.
Who knows, maybe this is the year persimmons will take over the crown as the reigning fall food.
