We all know it’s a good idea to eat our fill of fresh produce, and that’s one of the best things about fall. There’s still a bounty of fresh produce and it also happens to be hearty, comforting and so often beautifully orange.
But which fall produce is actually providing us with the best nutrition? We turned to the Center for Disease Controls and Prevention (CDC) for that. According to the CDC’s powerhouse fruits and vegetables list, we ranked 10 popular fall produce choices in order from least to most nutritious.
The CDC determined the nutritional density of these common fall produce options by looking at how well they fulfill the average person’s daily requirement for 17 important nutrients: potassium, fiber, protein, calcium, iron, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, zinc, and vitamins A, B, B, C, D, E and K.
They assigned each food a specific nutrient density score, on a scale of 0 to 100, that calculates to what extent 100 grams of each produce item includes the daily recommended amount of these 17 nutrients, assuming a 2,000 calorie diet.
Here’s what they found:
Sweet potato is an excellent source of vitamin A. Just one cup contains upwards of 200 percent of your daily recommended intake. But there are other orange hued vegetable choices to make that offer a little more.
Leeks are a good source of manganese, vitamin B6, copper, iron, folate and vitamin C. (They're also an excellent source of flavor!)
Rutabagas contain high levels of manganese, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, calcium, iron, and zinc, as well as vitamins like vitamin C, E and K.
Winter squash, like butternut, is a good source of fiber, potassium and vitamin A. And it makes some really good soup.
Carrots are a good source of beta-carotene, fiber, vitamin K, potassium and antioxidants
Cauliflower -- the vegetable experiencing a bit of a renaissance these days -- is not only delicious, but also a great source of vitamin C.
First, you have to learn how to properly cook Brussels sprouts and then you can eat them all the time to benefit from their extremely high vitamin K content.
The fiber, potassium, and vitamin C content in pumpkin are all notable. Make it into soup or turn it into pasta -- just make sure to get your fill this fall.
That's right, broccoli is a great vegetable option just like your mother always told you. It satisfies more than your daily recommended amounts of vitamins A and K. And it also has anti-inflammatory properties. Once you have the right recipes in hand, eating your fill will be easy.
There's just no denying the health benefits of eating your dark leafy greens. Kale is not only chock-full of vitamins, it also contains omega-3 fatty acids and so many antioxidants. We should all eat a lot of kale this fall.
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