Fall harvest full of healthful choices
in
Warwick
The lowly pumpkin doesn't get much attention until Halloween when it takes center stage for carving and decoration. This member of the squash family is used for holiday pies, breads, muffins and other dessert items. The seeds make a delicious snack when toasted as well. Recipes for chili and soup that incorporate pumpkin are very popular for their rich, thick consistency.
Evidence of pumpkinlike seeds found in Mexico date back 5,500 to 7,000 years ago.
These are warm weather plants and usually are planted in the early summer months so the fruit can be harvested in time for fall celebrations.
The use of pumpkin doesn't have to be limited to fall with canned pumpkin available all year long. Pumpkin is an excellent source of vitamin A and beta-carotene. One serving of pumpkin supplies 40 percent of the daily requirement of vitamin A, which is essential for healthy skin, eyes and for a strong immune system.
You may have been told to eat your carrots for better vision because they are a good source of beta carotene. Beta carotene is a yellow-orange pigment found in fruits and vegetables that is converted to vitamin A by the body. Good sources of beta carotene are peaches, mangoes, squash, apricots, peaches, cantaloupe and dark-green, leafy vegetables such as spinach and greens.
Another fall favorite is the sweet potato. Casseroles and sweet potato pie are Southern staples at family dinners. Vardaman is known as the sweet potato capital of the world, and Mississippi produces nearly 20 percent of the U.S. supply of this crop.
These tubers are even higher in vitamin A content, with one serving providing 80 percent of our daily requirement. In terms of plant genetics, sweet potatoes are a fairly distant relative of the white potato. There is a lot of confusion about the relationship between sweet potatoes and yams. Genetically, the sweet potato is not a close relative of the yam either. The young leaves of the sweet potato plant are cooked and eaten in some cultures as well.
Take advantage of these and other seasonal vegetables such as fresh turnip and mustard greens for a healthy dose of vitamin A and beta carotene. Experiment with new recipes and find ways to incorporate these nutritious fall vegetables in your diet all year long.
