This year the upcoming autumn festivals not only offer festive fun but also healthy and delicious food for everyone.
Medical experts say autumn, which officially begins on September 22 this year, is a great time to take advantage of fresh produce that can provide essential vitamins and health benefits.
“Fall is a great time to do a lot of frying and baking,” Stephanie Di Figlia-Peck, chief dietitian at Northwell Health Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park, New York, told Fox News Digital.
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“Some fall fruits and vegetables caramelize when roasted, which enhances their natural sweetness, making them more comforting and appetizing,” she said.
Fall fruits and vegetables are versatile and can provide strong flavors to many meals on cold, crisp fall days, said Di Figlia-Peck, a certified diabetes care and education specialist.
Fall fruits and vegetables are versatile and can add strong flavors to many dishes on cold, crisp fall days. (iStock)
“Since dried fruits have an intense flavor, they can be easily used in baked goods, casseroles and salads,” he said.
Here are five popular and healthy fall fruits and vegetables, plus the secrets of how to incorporate them into delicious dishes.
1. Cranberry
Cranberry bogs are not only a popular place for fall visits, they also provide a healthy fall side dish.
Dr. David Gentile, a holistic medicine physician at Oasis Integrative Medicine in Rocky Point, New York, who educates patients about healthy eating and disease prevention, says cranberries are a great high-antioxidant treat.
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“They also contain d-mannose, a monocyte inhibitor that helps reduce the frequency of urinary tract infections by reducing the ability of bacteria to adhere to the bladder wall,” he said.
“I personally like to make cranberry compote using low-glycemic sweeteners,” she added.
Shown here is a cranberry and turkey sandwich. Cranberries — a superfood — are rich in antioxidants, potentially helping to prevent disease. (iStock)
“Cranberries are great as a garnish,” he added. [during a] “Greek yogurt for a traditional Thanksgiving meal or as a nice dessert.”
According to a study published in the Journal of Science and Food and Agriculture in 2018, cranberry fruit contains compounds with potential anti-cancer effects, such as anthocyanins, procyanidins, and flavonoids.
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The study also stated that cranberries may have a positive effect on heart health and cholesterol while providing protection against inflammation in the intestines and bacteria called H. pylori in the stomach.
2. Apples
Apple picking is a popular way to have fun and bring healthy fruit to your table.
Researchers have found that apples may protect against cardiovascular disease.
Eating one medium-sized apple a day may help lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and inflammation, according to a study published in the journal Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition.
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“Apples are a wonderful low-glycemic fruit that contains quercetin, flavonoids, and polyphenols that help with mast cell stabilization, allergies, and overall antioxidant benefits,” Gentile said.
“Apples are great for cleaning your teeth when you chew them. They’re handy to carry around as a snack and are great to use with other dishes when cooked with meats and/or healthy desserts,” she added.
“Apples are easy to carry as a snack and are great when cooked with other dishes, such as meats and/or healthy desserts,” says Dr. David Gentile of Rocky Point, New York. (AP Photo/Heather Ainsworth)
“An apple a day can actually keep the doctor away,” Dr. Ken Zweig, an assistant professor of medicine at Georgetown and George Washington University schools in Washington, D.C., told Fox News Digital.
“As a doctor, I say that apples are my enemy, but I actually eat one every day.”
“Apples are rich in fiber, vitamin C, and other beneficial compounds,” said Zweig, who is also a physician at Northern Virginia Family Medicine in Arlington, Virginia.
“Studies have shown that apples can lower cholesterol, reduce the risk of heart disease and even help prevent diabetes. As a doctor, I say apples are my enemy, but I actually eat one every day,” he added.
3. Pumpkins
Picking pumpkins is high on the to-do lists of many families and households in the fall, and this fruit can help you create delicious and healthy family meals.
“When most of us think of this fall fruit, we think of pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin pie, and pumpkin muffins — and yes, it is a fruit — [but] none [those things are] “Healthy,” Zweig told Fox News Digital, referring to cupcakes, doughnuts and more.
“Pumpkins are rich in beta-carotene, a type of vitamin A.” (iStock)
“But roasted pumpkin, pumpkin soup, and pumpkin seeds can be quite healthy,” she said.
Zweig said pumpkin is rich in fiber and vitamins and is low in calories.
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“Pumpkins are very rich in beta-carotene, a form of vitamin A,” Laura Feldman, assistant professor of nutrition and director of the Dietetics Didactics Program at Long Island University in Brookville, New York, told Fox News Digital.
She added that beta-carotene “helps you see clearly and also acts as a powerful antioxidant.”
Pumpkins can be used in traditional oven dishes as well as in soups, creating a “warm bowl full of wonderful flavors.” (iStock)
When cooking with pumpkin, “make sure you use plain pumpkin instead of pumpkin pie filling to avoid added sugar,” Feldman said.
Stating that roasted pumpkin seeds are a healthy and delicious snack and are rich in nutrients such as zinc, Prof. Dr.
Gentile said pumpkin can be a healthy comfort food on a cold fall day.
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In addition to traditional oven dishes, pumpkins can also be used to make soups, which Gentile describes as “a lovely bowl full of wonderful flavor.”
4. Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a fall staple and are a delicious way to consume important nutrients.
They are also richer in vitamin A than regular white potatoes.
“Sweet potatoes are also a great way to enjoy a baked potato, which has a lower glycemic index than traditional white potatoes,” Gentile said.
A sweet potato is shown being sliced. “Sweet potatoes add color and nutrients to a dish,” one health expert said. However, they can be high in calories, so “don’t rely on them to lose weight,” another health expert said. (iStock)
“Sweet potatoes add color and nutrients to the dish, in addition to all of these wonderful antioxidant flavonoid benefits,” she added.
Healthline notes that those with diabetes or other blood sugar issues “may benefit from limiting high-GI foods.” The same source notes that this is why some people are told to choose sweet potatoes over white potatoes.
Healthline also notes that the way potatoes affect a person’s blood sugar “depends largely on the type of potato, portion size and cooking method.”
That is, “some varieties of sweet potato may have a lower GI than regular potatoes, while others do not.”
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“Sweet potatoes are a starch, so don’t rely on them to lose weight,” Zweig said of the vegetable.
“A lot depends on how these are prepared, so adding lots of butter or brown sugar, as we often do at Thanksgiving, negates the nutritional benefits of this food,” she said.
“Both regular potatoes and sweet potatoes can be enjoyed as part of a healthy diet,” a representative for Potatoes USA told Fox News Digital.
5. Beetroot
The most consumed time for beets is between late summer and late fall, and research shows that this autumnal delicacy may help lower blood pressure.
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Beets contain nitric acid, which helps with vasodilation, which widens blood vessels in the body and improves blood flow, Gentile said.
A farmers market displays beets — a source of natural chemicals called nitrates. Studies suggest that a diet rich in nitrates may have a beneficial effect on improving cognitive brain function. (iStock)
Beets are a source of nitrates, which may play a role in brain health. Studies suggest that a diet rich in nitrates may have a beneficial effect on improving cognitive brain function.
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Beets are also a rich source of betaine, which aids digestion, Gentile told Fox News Digital.
“They are high on the glycemic index, but they are great when eaten as an appetizer or a small side dish,” Gentile said.
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She added this recipe tip: “Beets are delicious, especially when baked in the oven. They go great with goat cheese.”