As we transition to fall, there are hearty, bold flavors found in nature that also transition us. Before we get to cranberries and pumpkin season, think pears and figs for this time of year.
Registered dietician with Advice for Eating, Brittany Link, said now is the time of year you need to boost your immunity.
“All five of these do that and they're all ripe and seasonal as well,” Link said referring to bell peppers, arugula, celery root, figs and pears.
Packing the biggest vitamin C punch: bell peppers.
“Bell peppers are a great source of beta carotene, it's the precursor, so you need it to have vitamin A which is great for skin health and eye health,” Link said.
Arugula can help with bone health as it’s loaded with vitamin K and calcium. It also has vitamin C.
“I do love it in salads especially this time of year when we start to want something a little heartier but it's too hot to really cook too much still,” Link said.
When you're craving a creamy starch, the best September surprise is celery root.
“What you're going to do is slice off just the skin, go all the way around,” she explained. “You can just utilize it like a potato, it looks like a potato on the inside.”
TRY IT! Recipe for soup with celery root
Celery root also has half the carbohydrates of potatoes, plus vitamin C, B6 and fiber.
Also containing fiber is figs.
“The fig is a flower that has grown inside out,” Link pointed out the fruit’s beauty.
You have to eat the skin to get the entire benefit of figs. Eat them whole, or throw them in a dessert or salad, much like you’d eat a pear, which also contain fiber.
“One pear gets you six grams of fiber which is about 25 percent of the recommended daily intake for women. So, that's going to keep you full which is great for weight loss and it's also going to help keep you regulated as well.”
Link said in order to get all of the nutrients these fruits and vegetables can provide, try to buy what's in season and what's local.
“The longer time that a fruit or a vegetable is picked and transported, the more nutrients it starts to lose,” she said.
Other foods in season during September: broccoli, cauliflower and apples.