#WellnessWeds: 7 Fall Super Foods You Should Add to Your Diet
Registered Dietician
| 3 min read
November is here and fall is in full effect. This means that the fall harvest is too. These foods come in a variety of colors and therefore are packed with a lot of different nutrients, which will help you be healthy. Some of the fantastic vitamins and minerals you will find in the following fall super foods are vitamins C and A, fiber, potassium, magnesium, calcium and folate. Another great thing is that these foods work well together or alone.
There is such a wide range of flavor and textures that you can play with when preparing them for your family. Remember you need at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day and what better way to do that then with delicious seasonal produce.
- Winter Squashes — butternut, acorn and of course pumpkin. These wonderful starchy vegetables are delish and don’t forget about the heart-healthy fat from the pumpkin seeds. I love to roast my own and add them into my own homemade trail mix.
- Cranberries and pomegranates — dried, fresh, as a snack, complimented with orange zest in a dessert, in juice form as part of a salad dressing, cranberry relish at Thanksgiving dinner or as a healthy and colorful garnish. No matter how you decide to have it, enjoy this tart fruit treat.
- Citrus fruits — oranges, tangerines, clementines, pomelos, grapefruits and more. Simply enjoy them on their own! Try a citrus fruit that you haven’t had before.
- Persimmons — I grew up eating these. It is more commonly known in tropical areas. It looks like an orange-colored tomato. There’s a brown one too that I have never had. My one recommendation is to make sure you are eating a ripe persimmon or else it will be really sour and bitter. My mom would serve them to us in desserts or smoothies too.
- Apples — Can’t forget about these. I think you all know how wonderful they are. It is one of my favorite snacks to the point that I keep a bag of apples in my car, so I never have to worry about not having a snack readily available. This also helps me avoid making an unhealthy food choice when I am hungry.
- Brussels sprouts — I know, I know… you hate them. But remember, it takes 20 to 30 times to try something before you acquire a taste for it, so taste it again. They are a cruciferous vegetable, so they are cousins with broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. Hence the slightly bitter flavor that takes a while to get used to. I personally like to roast them with a variety of spices.
- Beets — I love them, yellow or red. They are root vegetables, like carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, radishes, and they are always in season. I just love the versatility of beets. The vibrant color lets us know they are chock full of antioxidants.
What did I miss? What’s your favorite fall bounty? I would love to hear your recipe ideas too.
Photo Credit: Monado
