Fall Foods to Add to Your Healthy Diet

Fall is a great time to visit your local farmer's market. During this time, you can find an abundance of healthy root vegetables just ripe for roasting or making hearty dishes like vegetable chili, and exotic fall fruits just perfect for fresh cobblers, pies, breads and cookies.

Six fun fall foods to consider adding to your diet this fall include sweet potatoes, parsnips, winter squash, turnip greens, apples and dates.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes are packed full of rich nutrients like vitamin A-which is important for healthy skin, good vision and a strong immune system, iron, fiber and anti inflammatory properties. And, you don't have to wait for Thanksgiving to enjoy them, simply boil them, mash them or roast them sprinkled with cinnamon for a sweet, vitamin packed side dish to your meal.

Parsnips

Parsnips resemble carrots except they are white and have a distinctive nutty, slightly sweet flavor. They are a great source of potassium and dietary fiber-which is good for lowering cholesterol and preventing colon cancer. Add them to rice for a sweet kick or roast them with sweet potatoes for an exotic fall treat.

Winter Squash

Winter Squash is the official vegetable of the fall. They differ from summer squash in that they tend to have a buttery, sweet flavor. There are a number of different winter squash to choose from including acorn squash, buttercup squash, butternut squash and spaghetti squash. Squash is a great source of vitamin A and omega 3 fatty acids, with butternut squash being the most nutritious.

For a celebratory taste of fall, roast winter squash with ginger and cinnamon or mix it with pasta for a sweet hint. The stringy yellow pulp of the Spaghetti squash can be used as a nutritious substitute for pasta.

Turnip Greens

Turnip Greens are the dark, green leaf of the turnip vegetable. It is packed full of folate, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin K and dietary fiber. Try turnip greens sauteed with garlic, shallots, olive oil and butter for a cozy fall treat.

Apples

Fall is not complete without the sweet aroma of fresh apples in the air. Apples are packed full of antioxidants, vitamin C, and both soluble and insoluble fiber-leave the skin on to reap the full benefits. They range in variety from sour Granny Smith Apples to sweet, Red Delicious apples to crisp, mild Fuji apples. Enjoy them alone, in warm cider or in recipes such as grandma's country apple pie.

Dates

Dates are a sweet Mediterranean fruit that resembles the flavor of dried figs. They are high in fiber, low in fat and a good source of potassium. Use them in preserves, stews, oatmeal cookies or serve them on a snack tray along with nuts and cream cheese.

Choose Organic Fall Foods

You should purchase organic foods whenever possible. These foods are free of toxic chemicals and contain a higher nutrient content than traditionally grown produce.

Other benefits of organic foods include:

• Avoid Chemicals- Buying organic foods helps you avoid toxic chemicals commonly associated with commercially grown foods.

• Avoid GMO- When you buy organic, you ensure you are purchasing real foods that are free of genetic modification.

• Enjoy Better Taste- Healthy soil produces strong, well nourished plants for more nutrition and better tasting foods.

• Reduce Health Risks- Pesticides have been linked to cancer and other diseases. When used to treat commercial crops, they can seep into our water, soil and air and contaminate our environment. Organic foods are free of pesticides, which helps encourage a healthy environment.

• Encourages a Healthy Eco System- Organic farming works in harmony with nature. Crop rotation, healthy soil and the absence of chemical substances helps keep our Eco system healthy, so bird, insects and other wildlife are not compromised.

Yours in Good Health,
Eugene Wood
NYC Massage Therapist