If you've been wanting to include more nutritious foods in your daily diet, you're in luck now that it's autumn — the season's harvest contains an abundance of delicious and nutritious fare. Nature probably planned it this way on purpose to help us get through the winter. Following are just five of the many healthy foods you can enjoy in autumn.
Apples
Apples are brimming with fiber, antioxidants, phytonutrients, and flavanoids. Regular consumption of apples may result in decreased risk of certain cancers, Type II diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. There are so many ways to enjoy this versatile fruit that most people never get tired of it. Beside quintessential apple pie, you can chop it up and toss apples into salads, bake them for a scrumptious dessert or breakfast items, grate them and use them in muffins and cakes, and simply enjoy them straight from the tree. Beverage options include apple cider and fresh, cold-pressed apple juice with a sprinkling of cinnamon on top.
Pumpkins
Another fall favorite typically associated with pies,pumpkin is an extremely nutrient-dense food with a wide variety of culinary uses. It can be used in soups, stews, and in pasta dishes. Pumpkin breads and muffins are also popular, and all you have to do to whip up some pumpkin pancakes is to add a spoonful of pumpkin puree to the batter. Roasted pumpkin seeds make an excellent snack and also work well when tossed in salads.
Sweet Potatoes Sweet potatoes have many of the same nutritional benefits as pumpkin and can be used in many of the same ways. Sweet potato casserole is a quintessential holiday favorite that's full of fiber, vitamins A and C, and plenty of antioxidants. You can also wrap them in foil and bake them or make them into French fries.
Corn
Few things taste better in early fall than that first piece of freshly boiled corn on the cob with a little bit of butter and salt. Corn has vitamin C, folate, magnesium, and a number of other essential nutrients. Besides corn on the cob, you can also make corn chowder or enjoy it in salads, stews, in mind-vegetable medleys, or alone as a side dish.
Nuts
Nuts are another autumn staple offering abundant antioxidants, phytonutrients, vitamin E, and minerals such as magnesium, zinc, copper, iron, calcium, and potassium. They make great snacks, and you can also add them to salads, cookies, pasta dishes, muffins, and cakes.
Contact a service if you need more help crafting a nutrition plan.
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