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Are you getting enough of this crucial vitamin? An antioxidant, vitamin C promotes wrinkle-free skin, supports good immunity, and may help the body protect itself against some diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Oranges and other citrus aren’t the only sources. These fall/winter vegetables offer ample amounts too. With cold and flu season around the corner, now is a good time to revamp your crisper drawer with these fresh picks.
Cooking tip: Vitamin C can be easily lost in the cooking process, particularly when veggies are boiled and drained. To retain more nutrients, cook into soups or stews, or lightly steam or microwave. Roasting or broiling results in less vitamin retention than other methods, but the results are very delicious. Frying virtually obliterates vitamin C and other volatile nutrients. Our advice? Avoid frying, vary other cooking methods, and enjoy.
Broccoli
Broccoli provides about 100 mg vitamin C per cup (chopped), plus sulforaphane, a potent antioxidant studied for its anticancer effects.
Serving idea: Try lightly steaming and dressing with lemon juice (more C!), olive oil and salt.
Cauliflower
A cup of cauliflower contains approximately 93 mg vitamin C. Bonus: You’ll also get several grams of fiber.
Serving idea: Steam cauliflower, then mash with miso, sesame oil and ginger; or garlic, olive oil and herbs.
Kale
A cup of kale contains tons of vitamin A (twice your daily value), vitamin K, trace minerals and 80 mg of vitamin C.
Serving idea: Remove tough stems, chop, and massage with lemon juice, olive oil and a little garlic until slightly wilted. Let this sit at room temperature. Excellent add-ins: toasted sliced almonds, chopped hazelnuts, parmesan cheese or apple slices.
Brussels Sprouts
The tiny cousins of green cabbage, Brussels sprouts contain 48 mg vitamin C per half cup.
Serving idea: Steam lightly and toss with hazelnut or walnut oil, a touch of maple syrup, and sea salt. (Roasting is a favorite cooking method because it brings out Brussels sprouts’ sweet flavor, but you’ll get less vitamin C.)
Not everyone loves Brussels sprouts, but those little green buds contain some surprising and potent health benefits. With some of the highest plant protein of any vegetable and considerable density in many important vitamins and minerals, there are more than a few reasons to include Brussels sprouts in your diet. Here are some potential health benefits of Brussels sprouts.
1. Excellent Source of Vitamin C
As little as 50 grams of boiled Brussels sprouts can help you meet your daily requirement for vitamin C. In fact, there’s more vitamin C in Brussels sprouts than oranges. Vitamin C is necessary for a variety of important natural functions, including regulating your blood pressure and bolstering your immune system. Vitamin C health Benefits
2. Reduce Cholesterol
Due to their high fiber content, Brussels sprouts are great at helping the body regular cholesterol levels. The fiber contained in each sprout can bind with bile acids, making it easy for your body to get rid of them from your system.
3. Rich Source of Vitamins and Minerals
As little as a single serving of Brussels sprouts can provide you with your complete daily requirement of vitamin K, B, and C. They’re also an excellent source for a number of important minerals including potassium, phosphorus, calcium, zinc, iron, and magnesium.
4. Protect your DNA
There are enzymes in your body that can do serious harm to the stability of your DNA within the white blood cells that are crucial to your immune system. Brussels sprouts can actually block these enzymes from affecting your DNA, which can protect you from a variety of serious genetic problems.
5. Reduces Risks of Cardiovascular Disease
Brussels sprouts are also a potent anti-inflammatory agent, and may even help repair damaged blood vessels. This is due to isothiocyanate sulforaphane, a compound in Brussels sprouts that helps support your heart’s health, and may even lower your risk of a heart attack.
6. Excellent Source of Fiber
The body uses fiber for a healthy and efficient digestive process. Like many vegetables, Brussels sprouts are an excellent source of fiber. A serving as small as 100 grams of sprouts each day can help provide nearly 20% of your daily value.
7. Good For Bones
Brussels sprouts have some of the highest vitamin K content of any vegetable, which is vital for healthy bone structures, regular calcification, and helping your body absorb and distribute other vitamins. One cup of sprouts every day will provide double your daily value.
8. Fight Free Radicals
Brussels sprouts contain a variety of antioxidant compounds and flavonoids. Combined with a high density of important vitamins like A, C, B6, and K, they provide almost everything your body needs to help fight off the oxidative stress placed on your body every day.
9. Anti-inflammatory Properties
Sprouts are an excellent source of glucosinolate, which are a compound necessary in the natural regulation of the body’s inflammatory response. With enough Brussels sprouts in your diet, you can help prevent or reduce chronic inflammation.
10. A Well-Rounded Addition to Any Diet
A single serving of Brussels can help provide you with more than 100% of your daily requirement for several critical vitamins and minerals. While many fruits or vegetables are a rich source of one or two vitamins, like oranges with vitamin C, Brussels sprouts are a well-rounded addition to any diet.
Pumpkin gets all of the love when it comes to fall food, but fall flavors go way beyond that beautiful orange squash. Find these fall foods at your farmers market!
Don’t get me wrong. I love pumpkin and pumpkin spice. But you can’t live on pumpkin alone, as much as we all may want to.
Fall is such a bountiful season, and there are tons of delicious, seasonal fall foods that I could have listed below. The foods on this list are in season right now, and they’re some of my favorites to pile onto my plate. Cheers!
10 Fall Foods in Season Now
1. Arugula – Arugula gets a lot of love as a spring green, but you can also often find it at local markets in early fall. Pair bitter arugula with a bright lemon vinaigrette or try it on a sandwich in place of lettuce.
2. Eggplant – Eggplant's subtle and distinctive combination of textures and flavors - smooth, fleshy, creamy, smoky - make it a versatile and beguiling component of many great dishes. Try it in any of these vegan and vegetarian eggplant recipes.
3. Grapes – Grapes are in season now all over the U.S. and will stay in season until about December. See what types of grapes are available at your local market. You can eat them as-is, of course, or use them to make delicious food art.
4. Cabbage – Cabbage is the humblest of the uber healthy cruciferous vegetables. It’s affordable, healthy, and in season right this second! If you’re sick of slaw, try making your own fermented sauerkraut. It’s good on sandwiches, stirred into a bowl of stew, or on top of grain bowls.
5. Pecans – Snatch up those seasonal pecans now! Pecans are lovely stirred into oatmeal or baked in a pie, but you can also use them in recipes like these homemade chocolate energy bars.
6. Carrots – Pumpkins aren’t the only orange fall foods that deserve your attention. Early fall is peak carrot season. If you need a little carrot inspiration, try shredding them into a pan-full of carrot muffins.
7. Brussels Sprouts – People tend to love or hate these tiny cabbages, and I fall squarely onto the love end of the spectrum. Try roasting them up with olive oil and a touch of balsamic vinegar at 425F for about 45 minutes. Stir every 10-15 minutes until they’re soft and a little bit brown.
8. Potatoes – White potatoes don’t get a lot of attention, but I am a big potato fan. They’re filling, affordable, and surprisingly healthy. Bake ‘em, mash ‘em, or cook ‘em into fritters. If you want to replace the egg in that fritter recipe, just whisk 1 tablespoon flax meal into 3 tablespoons of water, and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Boom! Flax egg.
9. Turnips – As root veggies go, turnips don’t get the limelight too often, but I love them. If you’re sick of using turnips in soups and stews, try using them in place of radishes in this recipe. I have done it, and it was amazing.
10. Leeks – Adding sauteed leeks to any recipe somehow makes it instantly special. Leeks are one of those fall foods that seem expensive, but don’t have to be. A little goes a long way, so just grab one or two leeks instead of a whole, pricey bunch. If you need a little bit of help including seasonal leeks in your cooking, try one of these leek recipes.
