Just like the weather and leaves change with each season, so does the seasonality of certain foods. There is something quite special about how food changes to complement the energy of the season. In the summer we have sweet and hydrating stone fruits, watermelon, and tomatoes. The winter provides citrus rich in vitamin C for the immune system such as oranges, lemons, and grapefruit. The spring brings light fresh vegetables and fruits such as asparagus, spring onions, and berries. However, seasonal fall foods are one of the most reflective of the time of year. Fall fruits and vegetables are grounding, warm, and comforting. It’s the season of root vegetables and the fruit from tress about to lose their leaves for winter. Let’s explore the seasonal foods of fall!
Fall Fruits: Apples, pears, pomegranates, cranberries
Fall Vegetables: Beets, spinach, kale, pumpkin, squash, sweet potatoes, zucchini
While most of these foods are available year-round, there are additional benefits of enjoying them in the fall. Fresh, in-season foods may be more nutrient dense and are harvested at their peak (1). Clean Juice includes several seasonal fall foods on our menu such as apples, beets, spinach, and kale. These are the menu items to try this fall!
The Detoxifying One: Beet, cucumber, apple, celery, ginger
The Intense One: Apple, avocado, coconut water, ginger, kale, lemon, spinach, spirulina
The Green Bowl: Acai blended with spinach, kale, banana, honey, spirulina, almond milk, topped with granola, banana, honey
The foods of fall have numerous health benefits that may support immunity, promote healthy bacteria and diversity in the gut microbiome, and reduce inflammation (1). You may even have a new favorite after learning about each of them!
Apples: There are so many types of apples to choose from, but each kind is rich in fiber with 5g per apple, phytonutrients, antioxidants, and prebiotics. Of course, we believe in eating organic, & best practice is to wash your apple before eating and eat the peel! There are additional phytonutrients and pectin found within apple peels that may be beneficial for digestive health. Is there anything better than a crisp delicious apple sprinkled with cinnamon in the fall? (1,2)
Pears: Did you know there are nearly 100 varieties of pears worldwide? Similar to apples, be sure to eat the entire pear if organic! The polyphenols and pectin in the peel are six times higher than those found in the flesh of the pear. Pears are delicious sources of folate, vitamin C, copper, potassium, polyphenol antioxidants, and contain 6g of fiber in just one medium pear (1,2).
Pomegranates: This seedy fruit is often skipped over due to its unconventional appearance. Pomegranates must be cracked open, and the seeds must be scooped out for consumption. You can also buy the seeds frozen or in containers in the produce section of your local grocery store. This tart and sweet fruit contains flavonoids, tannins, lignans, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. One pomegranate contains 11.6g of fiber, 32% of the daily value of vitamin C, and smaller amounts of magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and folate (2).
Cranberries: When you think of cranberries, you may be thinking of the canned gelatinous sugary ones you eat on Thanksgiving. However, actual cranberries are considered one of the world’s healthiest fruits! Cranberries are rich in antioxidants with 91 micrograms of lutein in one cup, making them much more beneficial in your belly than being used as a holiday decoration. They are more versatile than you think! Cranberries also contain vitamins C and A, folate, beta-carotene, potassium, manganese, and 4.6g of fiber per cup (1,2)
Beets: The deep purple-red color of beets are a sign of their phytonutrient properties and nutrient density. Beets are sweetest during the colder months of the year and are extremely versatile vegetables. They can be steamed, roasted, sauteed, made into soup, or juiced and added to smoothies! Beets contain 3.1g of fiber per 100g, vitamin B6, vitamin C, iron, copper, magnesium, manganese, potassium, and 20% of the daily value of folate. Here’s a tip! The greens at the top of the beet stems are nutritional powerhouses! They can be eaten like any other leafy green such as spinach.
Spinach: This leafy green is a health machine! Spinach is the perfect addition to any meal, whether it be sauteed with dinner, or large handfuls added to your morning smoothies. Just 100g of spinach contains 2.2g of fiber, 67mg calcium, and 460mg of potassium. Spinach also offers nutrients such as vitamin A, C, K, folate, iron, magnesium, and plant compounds such as lutein and quercetin. These leafy greens also contain anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits.
Kale: This popular vegetable is actually a member of the cabbage family! With nutty and earthy flavors, kale enhances any recipe it’s added to. As one of the most nutrient dense foods on earth, one cup of kale contains 1g fiber, 68% of the daily value of vitamin K, 22% of the daily value of vitamin C, and other nutrients such as manganese, vitamin A, B2, and calcium. Larger servings also contain folate, B6, potassium, iron, magnesium, and antioxidants. If kale isn’t your thing, try it juiced! Tis’ the season!
Pumpkin & Squash: Fall may be referred to as “pumpkin spice” season, but the actual pumpkin itself, as well its squash family, offer more health benefits than you may think. Pumpkin and fall squash have sweet and nutty flavors, and grounding effects on the body. Orange colored squash such as pumpkin, butternut, honeynut, acorn, and kabocha, are rich in beta-carotene, contain 7g of fiber per cup, magnesium, potassium, 209% of the daily value of vitamin A, 22% of the daily value of vitamin E, vitamin C, and antioxidants.
Sweet potatoes: A favorite of the potato family, the sweet potato is a versatile, nutrient dense food that hits its peak in the fall and winter seasons. However, orange is not the only color sweet potatoes come in. White and purple varieties are also available! Orange sweet potatoes are great sources of beta-carotene, and purple sweet potatoes are rich in polyphenols and flavonoids. In general, a medium cooked sweet potato contains 3.8g fiber, antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin A, and nearly 700mg of potassium. After being cooked and cooled, they also contain 11% resistance starch, which acts like fiber to escape digestion and feed your friendly gut bacteria!
Brussel Sprouts: These baby cabbages have become increasingly popular and available year-round, however, the fall is their best season. These days, there are hundreds of recipes dedicated to making the brussel sprout delicious. In just a half cup, this vegetable contains 3g of fiber, 91% of the daily value of vitamin K (astonishing!), 53% of the daily value of vitamin C, and 12% of the daily value of folate. Small amounts of B6, potassium, iron, thiamine, magnesium, and phosphorus. This antioxidant and anti-inflammatory vegetable is an excellent side dish for any fall meal!
A systemic analysis across twenty-six studies showed that food consumption of fruits and in the fall and winter months decreased while intake of alcoholic beverages and overall calories increased (4). Knowing what foods are in season can encourage positive changes in eating patterns in the fall while trying new recipes or fruits and vegetables that are less familiar. Increasing fruit and vegetable intake can help create an overall balance in the diet during seasons that have more social holidays.
Food, at its origin, was put on Earth to nourish us. This is just another reason why it changes with the seasons. It’s even believed the promotion and consumption of seasonal foods play an important role in reconnecting us with the foods we eat and provide a deeper understanding of the natural growing and harvesting seasons of food (3).
Fall is one the best seasons for food! Now that you know what foods to look for, you can even try them in a brand-new way such as a fresh pressed juice or smoothie from Clean Juice!
Keep an eye out for our Black Friday offer! 20% OFF ALL of our cleanses! The perfect way to reset after Thanksgiving and start off December feeling your best.
Offer valid for 20% off any CLEAN JUICE® Cold-Pressed Juice Cleanse in-store at participating CLEAN JUICE locations or with online promo code: BLACKFRIDAY24 on Friday, 11/29/2024 thru Monday, 12/1/2024. While supplies last. Product availability by location may vary. Offer cannot be combined with other discounts, offers or coupons. Not valid on third-party delivery. Reproduction or resale is prohibited. No cash value. Limit one discount per transaction per customer. Customer responsible for applicable taxes and gratuity. CLEAN JUICE name, design and related marks are trademarks of CJ Fresh Holdings, LLC © 2024 CJ Fresh Holdings, LLC. All rights reserved.
Here at Clean Juice, we aspire to spread the message of health, wellness, and REAL food to our customers. We hope this newsletter has inspired and motivated you to make new fall food discoveries!
Sources:
- Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (n.d.). Picked at their peak: The benefits of buying seasonal produce | mayo clinic diet. Mayo Clinic. https://diet.mayoclinic.org/us/blog/2022/picked-at-their-peak-the-benefits-of-buying-seasonal-produce/
- Unites States Department of Agriculture. Fooddata Central. (n.d.-a). https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/index.html
- Macdiarmid JI. Seasonality and dietary requirements: will eating seasonal food contribute to health and environmental sustainability? Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. 2014;73(3):368-375. doi:10.1017/S0029665113003753
- Stelmach-Mardas M, Kleiser C, Uzhova I, Peñalvo JL, La Torre G, Palys W, Lojko D, Nimptsch K, Suwalska A, Linseisen J, Saulle R, Colamesta V, Boeing H. Seasonality of food groups and total energy intake: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2016 Jun;70(6):700-8. doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2015.224. Epub 2016 Jan 13. PMID: 26757837.