6 Seasonal Superfoods to Eat More of This Fall

Stay healthy this fall and winter with these 6 delicious & nutritious seasonal superfoods!

I don’t know about you, but fall is one of my favorite seasons! The fresh, crisp air, the smell of the beautiful autumn leaves, the comfort of warm, cozy sweaters – it all just makes me feel appreciative of the world around me. Of course, fall comes with its own challenges – not the least of which is the fact that winter is close on its heels! Along with colder weather come cold and flu season, the winter blues, and often extra weight gain.

Fortunately nature provides remedies in the form of seasonal superfoods that provide antioxidants and other nutrients that can help fight some of these fall and winter ailments.

Here are just a few to consider adding to your diet while they’re in season:

1.) Pomegranate

Bright pink and heart-shaped, this favorite fruit has been prized for its sweet juicy seeds and ruby red color for millennia… In a study that followed patients with heart disease, those that supplemented with just 1 ounce of pomegranate juice every day for a year had a 12 percent reduction in blood pressure and 30 percent less plaque in their arteries.

The seeds themselves also pack a hefty dose of fiber and vitamin C, so you’ll feel good throughout the holiday season…

2.) Pumpkin

…The carotenoids in pumpkin are also incredible disease fighters; the antioxidant that’s found in brightly colored fruits and veggies has been proven to reduce heart disease and cancer risk…. (For more on this super food, check out last week’s post on the health benefits of pumpkin.)

3.) Dates

Sweet, wrinkly, and full of flavor (and fiber), date fruits are harvested in the early fall… Perfect for adding a touch of natural sugar to anything you’re cooking this fall, the fruit is full of skin-beautifying vitamin A and metabolism-boosting magnesium…

4.) Cranberries

Low in calories but high in nutrients, tart cranberries are your new fall food BFF.  Because they can be very tart to the point of bitterness, they’re often eaten dried and sweetened or mixed into a goopy, sugary sauce. Not exactly the best way to deliver their cancer-fighting polyphenols.

Instead, get your hands on some fresh cranberries (or dried, unsweetened cranberries!) and add them into smoothies for a boost of flavor, color, and anti-inflammatory compounds…

5.) Ginger

Stomach soother, stress reliever, bacteria killer—ginger is totally worthy of its superfood moniker… The root contains 6-gingerol, a bioactive substance that has an effect on everything from fighting cancer to helping relieve nausea. Ginger also has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and can even ease pain after a tough workout. Try it freshly grated into soups, as a tea, or even as a ginger chew to soothe a stomach ache.

6.) Cinnamon

This staple spice makes its way into so many winter dishes, but it’s worth adding a dash of cinnamon to your meals year round. Like many spices, it’s got impressive anti-inflammatory capabilities and antimicrobial properties. But we love cinnamon for its fat-burning function—a sprinkle of cinnamon lowers blood sugar levels up to 15 percent, which helps the body burn fat more efficiently.

For more, check out the full article at ThriveMarket.com…