Autumn’s harvest may just be one of our favorite bounties from Mother Nature and it’s not just because it tastes good. Rich in antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, fall boasts a plethora of whole foods that can be whipped into something scrumptious AND nutritious!
If you’re wanting to go beyond that pumpkin-flavored latte and adapt your diet to the season, try incorporating some (or all!) of these superfoods this fall:
Apples
Red, green, and yellow, these beauties offer fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin C which may reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
Have an apple tasting to find your favorites or use them to make Homemade Slow Cooker Maple Apple Butter.
Kale
Fiber, antioxidants, calcium, iron, and vitamins A, C, K, B6 make this cruciferous vegetable one that has a wide range of benefits such as reducing free radicals and inflammation, supporting heart, bone, digestive, skin, and eye health, and may even decrease the risk of cancer.
Get into the season with a Nutty Harvest Honeycrisp Kale Salad or kale chips.
Cranberries
More than just a side dish at Thanksgiving, cranberries offer antioxidants plus vitamins C, E, and K as well as manganese. They are known to help prevent urinary tract infections but can also benefit teeth, the digestive track and the heart in addition to reducing the risk of cancer.
Include them in your diet such as with Cranberry Balsamic Chicken Thighs.
Figs
These stone fruits are full of calcium, vitamins A and C, potassium, magnesium, iron, and fiber that can support the cardiovascular, skeletal, and digestive systems.
Roast them with Honey, Balsamic, and Rosemary or use them in a Brie, Fig, Apple Grilled Cheese!
Brussels Sprouts
This cruciferous vegetable offers vitamins C and B6, potassium, magnesium, iron, and fiber, helpful for cellular health, digestive regularity, and balanced blood sugar. They may even reduce inflammation.
Try a Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Creamy Maple Dressing or a Roasted Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts side dish.
Beets
Fiber, vitamins C and B6, iron, manganese, copper, potassium, magnesium, and folate are all offered in beets, making their nutritional value impressive, especially for cardiovascular health and fighting inflammation.
We love a roasted beet salad or simply slicing them into matchsticks and dunking them into good quality olive oil with a dash of sea salt.
Pumpkin
Maybe most known for the antioxidant betacarotene, pumpkins also provide fiber, vitamin C, and potassium which may help lower the risk of heart disease, some cancers, and macular degeneration.
Bring on one of fall’s most famous flavors with Easy and Healthy Pumpkin Pudding or Healthy Pumpkin Bread.
Pomegranates
Tart seeds of a pomegranate pack a powerful punch of antioxidants as well as fiber, iron, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, and folate that may be good for reducing inflammation, decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, and supporting bodily systems such as that of the brain, urinary and digestive tracts, and prostate.
Enjoy the seeds or juice for a snack or incorporate them into a dish such as Baked Minty Rice with Feta and Pomegranate Relish.
Are you ready to expand your fall diet repertoire? Then start today!
For naturopathic support this fall, please call us at (303) 688-6698 or click here to schedule a free 15 minute phone consultation with Dr. Graves to talk about your issues.
The CNMA office provides naturopathic care, acupuncture, testing, massage, and holistic counseling to those in Castle Rock, Castle Pines, Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Centennial, Parker, Larkspur, Monument, Colorado Springs, and the greater Denver metro area. For those outside of these areas, virtual appointments are available.
*Note that CNMA does not endorse any website, recipe, company, etc. Links are for inspiration only.
REFERENCES:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-health-benefits-of-apples
https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-figs
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-brussels-sprouts#5
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/the-health-benefits-of-beets/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/279610#benefits
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