3 Fall Veggies to Eat for Better Health

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Gone are the days of tomatoes, zucchini, and local strawberries. Instead, the farmer’s markets are filling up with hearty fall fare: cabbages, winter squash, and leafy greens. The colours are deeper, the cook times longer. And the nutritional benefits of these autumnal veggies can’t be beat.

Winter Squash

When the air starts getting chilly, who doesn’t gravitate to warming soups? And what makes a better, creamier soup than winter squash? Whether it’s butternut or acorn, winter squash roast beautifully and make the best base for fall meals. And the best part: with every bite you’re eating your way to better health. Winter squash are full of Vitamin A and C, pectin fibre, and anti-inflammatory benefits that will keep you healthy all winter long.

So add some squash to your meals a few times a week to reap the sweet rewards of this nutritionally dense fall vegetable.

Cabbage

Everyone knows about kale. Everyone’s mad about kale. But while kale was busy become prom queen, everyone overlooked little ol’ cabbage. And for no good reason.

Cabbage is a super versatile, colourful, and just plain delicious cruciferous vegetable. Like the rest of the brassica family, cabbage offers many health benefits. It’s chock full of anti-oxidants, which help promote detoxification and supports your liver. It’s a fantastic source of glucosinolates, which fight cancer. And its fibre content helps keep your colon healthy and active.

Try cabbage in coleslaw, braise it, or enjoy it fermented a few times a week.

Mushrooms

Sure we can get mushrooms year-round, but they are at their best in fall. Their earthy flavour pairs wonderfully with the cooling temps and they can make every meal feel more hearty. What most people don’t realize, though, is that these little flavour bombs are nutritional powerhouses.

In fact, mushrooms are one of the only food sources for Vitamin D, that elusive-but-essential vitamin that keeps your immune system functioning at its best. Mushrooms are also full of B Vitamins and anti-oxidants that protect your heart and your overall good health.

What better excuse do you need to whip up a mushroom risotto? Or try this vegetarian take on beef bourguinon.

Eat your way to better health this fall. It’s easy and delicious!