Fall’s Healthy Harvest

Take Advantage of Autumn’s Nutrition-Packed Harvest

Fall’s harvest offers an abundance of nutrition-packed options, so it’s a great time to add some variety to your daily diet.

“Yellow and orange-colored squashes are awesome nutritional packages and are plentiful throughout fall,” says Alison Holloway, MD, a family practice physician affiliated with Lake Forest Hospital. Just one cup of butternut squash offers more than 400 percent of the RDA (recommended daily allowance) for vitamin A and nearly half of your RDA for vitamin C. “You cannot beat the nutrition for less than 100 calories. Try pumpkin, acorn squash, winter squash or other varieties you find this season. Pumpkin butter is a high-nutrition/low-fat alternative to other spreads—with lots of flavor. My family’s favorite is spaghetti squash. When cooked it does look just like spaghetti!”

“Apples are another awesome choice,” says Dr. Holloway. “Although not a huge powerhouse in terms of antioxidants, apples are a great source of fiber.” Be sure to eat the apple skin to get all the nutrients. Dr. Holloway suggests creative ways to add apples to your diet.

• Spread apple butter as a low-fat alternative to regular butter, margarine or peanut butter.
• Use apples as a vegetable. “Steam together apples, carrots and raisins for a side dish,” she says.

Sunflower seeds are an often-overlooked source of nutrition. When those huge flowers wither, don’t throw the seed head away. “Sunflower seeds are high in healthy fats. You can eat the whole seeds (with the shell) for roughage,” says Dr. Holloway. “Without the shells, sunflower seeds are more calorie-dense, so use sparingly.” Squash and pumpkin seeds also offer healthy fats. “Make it a family tradition to roast the seeds from your Jack-o-Lantern. Kids will actually eat the seeds if they help in the preparation.”

Strongly colored root vegetables such as beets and sweet potatoes are loaded with antioxidants. Cranberries are antioxidant powerhouses. Research suggests that antioxidants offer protection against heart disease and some cancers. The chemicals that make the vegetables colorful make them healthy. “Eat the rainbow every day,” she advises.

Fall Foods Abound
There are plenty of places around Lake County, McHenry County and southeastern Wisconsin where you can partake in the harvests of fall. Besides grocery stores, visit local farmers markets. Most farmers markets are open into October.

For a fun, outdoor activity, take the family apple picking. Apple orchards offer some varieties that are hard to find in many stores. For a list of nearby orchards, go to http://www.allaboutapples.com/orchard