Fall Super foods

           

Once your mini depression over the summer ending has stopped, commence fall fever! Sure we will miss warm weather and times on the beach but we can soon embrace the fresh crisp air and all the wonderful smells this season has to offer. We also have a whole new health regime that will begin with the start of this new time of year. Fall has an endless list of healthy super foods that should be added to your shopping list once September hits! Here are just a few:

Of course the fall classic, apples! Don’t overlook the most universal fall fruit. Apples have long been associated with health and of course fall, but with good reason! Research has actually discovered a compound in the apple’s skin called quercetin, a powerful anti-oxidant that may fight a host of diseases. Calcium, Vitamin C and folate make apples even sweeter!

 

Pumpkin is also a fall favorite but definitely a healthy choice when it comes to food preparation this season. Half a cup of pumpkin has about a full serving of Vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene, plus a healthy dose of potassium, more than 10% of the recommended daily amount. It is clear this large squash is good for more than just making jack-o-lanterns to scare trick or treaters this year!

 

You should also introduce Kale into your diet, a lesser-known vegetable than its broccoli cousin. It is a dark leafy green that is gaining a big following for its nutritional effectiveness. One cup of chopped raw kale offers more Vitamin K than any other green. Kale is also high in beta-carotene, an anti-oxidant that is believed to boost the immune

system and even help ward off certain types of cancers! Try a recipe for Kale chips, they sure are delicious and a great snack for children when they come home ravenous after a day of school!

 

Another fall fruit that you should be trying is the pomegranate! To eat a pomegranate you must slice open the leathery-skin to find the ruby red seed packs, known as arils. These seeds are what you end up actually consuming. Pomegranates are loaded with antioxidants and compounds called tannins that may help keep the heart healthy and lower “bad” cholesterol. There are also 5 grams of fiber per half cup of arils!

 

Try all these different fall super foods and watch your health and happiness flourish!