How would you train your mind to eat healthy food?

Medical and nutritional experts believe that the fall season, which officially began (Sunday), is a good opportunity to take advantage of a new product that provides essential vitamins and health benefits to the body.

“Fall is a great time to do a lot of roasting and baking,” Stephanie Di Veglia-Beck, a registered dietitian at Northwell Health Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park, New York, told Fox News .

She said: “When some autumn fruits and vegetables are roasted, they turn to caramel, and this enhances their natural sweetness, making them more appetizing.

Fall fruits and vegetables are versatile and can add strong flavors to many meals on cold days, said De Veglia Beck, a certified expert in diabetes care and education.

“Dried fruits have a thick flavor, so they are suitable for use in baked dishes, casseroles and salads”; According to what she said.

Here are five popular and healthy fall fruits and vegetables, as well as secrets on how to incorporate them into delicious dishes.

Cranberry

Dr. David Gentile, an integrative medicine physician at Oasis Integrative Medicine in Rocky Point, New York, educates patients about healthy eating and disease prevention. He confirmed that cranberries are a wonderful remedy rich in antioxidants.

He added: “It also contains d-mannose, which is a cell therapeutic substance that helps reduce urinary tract infections by reducing the ability of bacteria to adhere to the bladder wall.”

“I personally like to make cranberry compote from scratch, using low-glucose sweeteners,” he said.

He added, “Cranberries are great as a side dish, or even with Greek yogurt as a delicious dessert.”

Cranberries contain compounds such as anthocyanins, procyanidins, and flavonols that have shown effects in cancer prevention, according to a 2018 study published in the American Journal of Science, Food and Agriculture.

The study also indicated that cranberries may have a positive effect on heart health and cholesterol while protecting against diseases in the intestines and bacteria called H. pylori.

Apples

Researchers have found that apples may help protect against cardiovascular disease.

According to a study published in the journal Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, eating one medium-sized apple a day can help reduce cholesterol, blood pressure and inflammation.

“A low-glycemic fruit that contains quercetin, flavonoids and polyphenols, which help stabilize mast cells and allergies, and general antioxidant benefits,” said Gentile about apples.

He said: “Apples are good for cleaning teeth. “It’s also easy to carry as snacks, and is great to use with other meals, or to bake with meat or healthy desserts.”

“An apple can keep the doctor away,” said Dr. Ken Zweig, an assistant professor at Georgetown University School of Medicine and George Washington University.

He added, “Apples are rich in fiber, vitamin C, and other beneficial compounds.”

He emphasized that studies have shown that apples can lower cholesterol levels, reduce the risk of heart disease, and even prevent diabetes. He said: “As a doctor, I joke that apples are my arch enemy, but in truth I eat one apple every day. “

Pumpkin

“Most of us think of pumpkin pie and pumpkin muffins, but none of those things seem healthy,” Zweig told Fox News, referring to cakes, donuts, and more.

He explained that pumpkin is full of fiber and vitamins, and is usually low in calories, and that dried pumpkin, pumpkin soup, and dried pumpkin seeds can be very healthy.

“Pumpkin is very high in beta-carotene, which is a form of vitamin A,” said Laura Feldman, professor of nutrition and director of the education program in diet at Long Island University in Brookville, New York.

She said beta carotene “helps you see clearly, and also acts as a powerful antioxidant. “

When preparing foods that contain pumpkin, “make sure to use regular pumpkin instead of pumpkin pie filling to avoid added sugar,” says Feldman.

Roasted pumpkin seeds make a healthy and delicious snack that is also rich in nutrients, including zinc, which she said supports a person’s immune system.

Dr. Gentile agreed that pumpkin can be a healthy snack on a cold day.

Sweet potatoes

Autumn is the season for sweet potatoes, which contain more vitamin A than potatoes, and which have the wonderful antioxidant benefits of flavonoids, so sweet potatoes add color and nutrition to the meal.

The Healthline website noted that those with diabetes or other blood sugar problems may benefit from limiting foods with a high glycemic index, which is why some are advised of those people choose sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes (potatoes).

Healthline also said that the way potatoes affect a person’s blood sugar “depends largely on the type of potato, the serving size and the cooking method.”

So “while some varieties of sweet potatoes may have a lower glycemic index than potatoes, others do not. “

Beets

Beets reach their peak in late summer to late autumn, and studies show that this delicious food served in the snow may help lower blood pressure.

Gentile said beets contain nitric acid, which helps with vasodilation, a process that widens blood vessels in the body and improves blood flow.

Because beets are a source of nitrates, they can play a role in brain health. Studies suggest that a diet rich in nitrates may have a beneficial effect when it comes to improving cognitive brain function.

It also helps with digestion, and Gentile noted, “Beets have a high glycemic index, but they’re great when eaten as a meal, or as a small side dish.”

It’s best to bake beets to preserve their health benefits​​​​​​​instead of boiling them, and serve them with goat cheese.