Apple a Day…and 4 Other Great Fall Food Choices That Are Healthy and Delicious

Fall festivals aren’t just about festive fun, they’re also about healthy and delicious food for everyone.

It’s a wonderful time of year to enjoy fresh produce that can provide essential vitamins and health benefits, medical experts advise.

“Fall is a great time to do a lot of roasting and baking,” said Stephanie Di Figlia-Peck, chief dietitian at Northwell Health Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park, New York.

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“When roasted, some fall fruits and vegetables caramelize and this enhances their natural sweetness, making them more palliative and appetizing,” she also said.

Di Figlia-Peck, a certified diabetes care and education specialist who works with the organization POWERKidsccmc, a program to help educate people about healthy eating, said fall fruits and vegetables are versatile. – and can provide robust flavors for many meals on cold, crisp fall days.

“Dried fruits have a concentrated flavor, so they work well in baked dishes, casseroles and salads,” she says.

Here are some popular and healthy fall fruits and vegetables, along with secrets on how to incorporate them into delicious dishes.

Cranberries

Not only are the Cranberry Bogs a popular site for fall visits, they also provide a healthy side dish for fall.

Dr. David Gentile, an integrative medicine physician at Oasis Integrative Medicine Practice in Rocky Point, New York, educates his patients about healthy eating and disease prevention. Cranberries are a wonderful treat rich in antioxidants, he said.

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“They also contain d-mannose, a monocyte remedy that is useful in reducing the frequency of urinary tract infections by reducing the ability of bacteria to adhere to the bladder wall,” he said.

“I personally love making cranberry compote from scratch, using low glycemic index sweeteners,” he also said.

He added: “Cranberries are wonderful as a side dish. [during a] traditional Thanksgiving dinner, or even over Greek yogurt as a good dessert.”

Cranberries contain compounds such as anthocyanins, procyanidins and flavonols that have shown potential cancer-preventing effects, according to a 2018 study published in the Journal of Science and Food and Agriculture.

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Additionally, cranberries may have a positive effect on heart health and cholesterol while protecting against inflammation in the intestines and bacteria called H. pylori in the stomach, the study notes.

Apples

Apple picking is a popular way to get healthy fruit to your table while having fun.

Apples may help protect against cardiovascular disease, researchers have found.

Consuming one medium-sized apple a day can 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 an excellent low-glycemic fruit with quercetin, flavonoids and polyphenols, which help with mast cell stabilization, allergy relief and general antioxidant benefits,” Gentile said.

“Apples are ideal for cleaning the oral dentition while we chew apples. They are convenient to take on the go as snacks, and they are ideal to use with other meals, cooked with meat and/or healthy desserts”, he also said.

Dr. Ken Zweig, MD, assistant professor of medicine at Georgetown and George Washington University Schools of Medicine in Washington, DC, told Fox News Digital, “An apple a day can actually keep the doctor away.

“As a doctor, I joke that apples are my nemesis, but I actually have one every day.”

Zweig, also a physician at Northern Virginia Family Practice in Arlington, Va., said, “Apples are high in fiber, vitamin C and other beneficial compounds.”

He added that “recent studies have shown that apples can lower cholesterol, reduce the risk of heart disease and even prevent diabetes. As a doctor, I joke that apples are my nemesis, but I I actually have one every day.”

pumpkins

Pumpkin picking is high on the to-do list for many families and households during the fall season – and fruit can help create delicious and healthy family meals.

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“Most of us think of pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin pie, and pumpkin muffins when we think of this fall fruit — and yes, it’s a fruit — [but] none of [those things are] healthy,” Zweig told Fox News Digital, referring to muffins, donuts and more.

“However, roasted pumpkin, pumpkin soup, and pumpkin seeds can be very healthy,” he said.

Pumpkin is loaded with fiber and vitamins, Zweig also said, and it’s generally low in calories.

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Laura Feldman, assistant professor of nutrition and director of the dietary education program at Long Island University in Brookville, New York, told Fox News Digital, “Pumpkins are very high in beta-carotene, which is a form of vitamin A.”

Beta-carotene, she added, “helps you see clearly and also serves as a powerful antioxidant.”

When making foods with pumpkin, “be sure to use regular pumpkin rather than pumpkin pie filling to avoid added sugars,” Feldman says.

Roasted pumpkin seeds make a healthy and delicious snack that’s also packed with nutrients, including zinc, which it says supports your immune system.

Pumpkins can be a healthy comfort food on a cold fall day, Gentile said.

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“They are visually appealing [and] whole foods high in beta-carotene, which is a very good source of antioxidants.”

Besides their use in traditional baking dishes, pumpkins can be used to make soups, which Gentile described as “a cozy bowl full of wonders.”

Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are in season this time of year – and are another great way to introduce nutrients to a fall menu.

“Sweet potatoes are a wonderful way to enjoy a baked potato with a lower glycemic index than traditional white potatoes,” Gentile said.

“In addition to all the wonderful antioxidant benefits of flavonoids, sweet potatoes add color and nutrition to a meal.”

Although sweet potatoes can be considered healthy, they’re generally high in calories, Zweig said.

“Sweet potatoes are a starch, so don’t rely on them for weight loss,” he says.

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Zweig agreed that they are a good alternative to white potatoes because they are lower in calories and higher in vitamins than regular white potatoes.

“Again, a lot depends on how they’re prepared, so adding a lot of butter or brown sugar, like we often do at Thanksgiving, negates any nutritional benefits of this food,” Zweig said.

beets

The peak season for beets is from late summer to late fall — and studies show this fall delicacy can help lower blood pressure.

Beets contain nitric acid, Gentile said, which helps with vasodilation, the process that dilates blood vessels in the body and improves blood flow.

Since beets are a source of nitrates, they may play a role in brain health. Studies suggest that a diet high in nitrates may have a beneficial effect on improving cognitive brain function.

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Beets are also a great source of betaine, which helps with digestion, Gentile told Fox News Digital.

“They have a high glycemic index, but they’re great when eaten as an appetizer or a side dish,” Gentile said.

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He added this recipe tip: “Beets are delicious, especially baked. They go really well with goat cheese.”