Nutritious Fall Food? You Bet! Baltimore Gym Shares Four of Them
If you think fall’s four food groups are candy corn, M&M’s, Snickers, and Starbursts, it may be time for a mental reboot. Not only is falling face-first into a bowl of Halloween candy a bad idea for hundreds of different reasons, the reality is that plenty of fall foods are both delicious and nutritious, meaning you don’t have to feel bad about feeling good. Wondering where to begin when it comes to embracing fall’s beautiful bounty? Read on for a roundup of four fall foods that are truly spooktacular.
1. Kale
This hearty, leafy green is packed with antioxidants. In fact, according to Time, “Kale’s so hot because it packs in more nutrition than practically any other whole food. A cup and change come with 14 percent of your daily calcium, 659 percent of your daily recommended allowance of vitamin A, and more than 900 percent of your daily vitamin K RDA!”
If the mere mention of the word “kale” makes you cringe, you probably haven’t been doing it right. For starters, says registered dietician Alicia Romano, there are near-endless ways to enjoy it. “Blend it, bake it, sauté it, or eat it raw in a salad,” she recommends. Craving more salty than sweet? Keep these tips for flawless kale chips handy.
2. Butternut Squash
Butternut squash may get less attention than flashier fall fruits and veggies like apples and pumpkins, but it’s chock-full of goodness and tasty, too. Says Whole Living of this fruit-not-vegetable, “No offense to zucchini, but the health benefits of fall-harvest squashes far eclipse their summer cousins….Rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants — and succulent enough to warrant the moniker ’butternut’ — this graceful, hourglass-like gourd is the perfect addition to an autumn meal.”
Anyone who’s ever slurped from a bowl of silky, creamy butternut soup knows that it’s supremely satisfying. But that’s just the start when it comes to butternut bliss. Just roasting squash can satiate a sweet tooth. Registered dietitian and chef Katie Cavuto told Yahoo! of butternut squash and its orange amigos like sweet potatoes and carrots, “Their natural sweetness, which is concentrated if you roast them, paired with their nutrient density and high fiber content makes them a great choice to curb sweet cravings.”
3. Tomatoes
Tomatoes are far from just a summertime fruit. In fact, tomatoes planted in mid-summer continue to produce fruit well until the first frost. Says The Great Falls Tribune of these juicy beauties, “Any way you slice them, tomatoes are a good source of healthy antioxidants and lycopene as well as vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin K, potassium, and manganese, making them a worthy ingredient to incorporate into your meal planning this fall.”
But don’t take our word for it. The next time you’re craving take-out pizza, try this five-star Basil Tomato Tart recipe from Taste of Home or the Tomato Galette recipe from Midwest Living instead.
4. Pomegranates
Enthuses Reader’s Digest of this jewel-toned orb, “This fruit is especially high in antioxidants like ellagic acid that reduce inflammation — a factor in both heart disease and many types of cancer.” Looking to give your libido a boost in addition to your overall health and wellness this season? RD continues, “ juice improves blood flow to your heart and may promote blood flow to sexual organs, potentially improving sexual potency. Maybe that’s why Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, was credited with planting the first pomegranate tree on Cyprus!”
Our decadent dessert pick for the season which adds seasonal sweetheart apples to the mix? Brenda’s Apple and Pomegranate Crisp.
Your weight loss program doesn’t have to derail just because the leaves have started to fall. Instead, add these four fall faves to the menu to discover just how happy and healthy eating in-season can be. Of course, eating right is only part of the picture. Moving your body is also essential. Sign up for a trial pass to get started at Brick Bodies today.
