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Right now, stores are full of the widest array of fresh fall vegetables at the peak of ripeness. The cool days of the season bring out the best flavor in many crops—good news for all of us looking for great-tasting fall vegetables to enjoy each day as we stay on track to our weight loss goal. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite autumn harvest veggies and how they fit into your Nutrisystem weight loss plan.

Here are seven of the best fall vegetables with a few healthy and delicious ideas for eating them:

1. Carrots

The crunchy roots taste great raw or cooked. While orange carrots are most familiar, many stores now offer yellow, red and even purple varieties. All are loaded with beta-carotene, a nutrient your body converts into vitamin A. It plays a key role in protecting your vision, supports your immune system and ensures that your body produces healthy new cells.

Nutrisystem category: Non-starchy vegetable

Serving size: 1⁄2 cooked or 1 cup raw

Try this: Carrots are easy to enjoy as a snack on-the-go—no mess or fuss necessary. For a bit of satisfying protein, dip carrot sticks in humus or herb-flavored yogurt. Shredded carrots add sweetness and fiber to muffins or fritters, while pureed carrots can be the foundation for a robust soup. Roasting brings out even more of their natural sugars. For a quick side dish, try our recipe for Honey Balsamic Glazed Carrots.

2. Brussels Sprouts

The little cousins of cabbage lose their bitterness after a light frost, which is why they taste best in fall. You typically see them loose on produce shelves, but just before Thanksgiving farmer’s markets and some stores offer whole stalks, so you can get them at their absolute freshest. A cup gives you more than 120 percent of your recommended daily amount of vitamin C and nearly 200 percent of your daily vitamin K needs. You also get over three grams of fiber.

Nutrisystem category: Non-starchy vegetable

Serving size: 1⁄2 cooked or 1 cup raw

Try this: Steamed Brussels sprouts are ready to eat in minutes and they have a mild, cabbage-like flavor. Add sliced Brussels sprouts to stir-fries and soups. If you prefer your veggies raw, shave or chop the small heads of Brussels sprouts and toss them with other greens to make a zesty salad. Slow-roasting Brussels sprouts turns them crispy and smoky. They also pair well with sweet fruit. Check out our Brussels Sprouts with Apples recipe.

3. Butternut Squash

The oblong-shape, bulbous at one end and the pale orange skin make it easy to recognize butternut among the many varieties of fall vegetables and winter squash that are in-season. Removing the relatively thin skin on the outside and the seed cavity inside isn’t hard, but many stores now sell it peeled, seeded, cubed and ready to cook. Like other orange veggies, butternut squash is packed with beta-carotene and vitamin C. A single cup has 500 milligrams of potassium, a mineral that helps keep your body’s sodium levels in balance.

Nutrisystem category: SmartCarbs

Serving size: 1 cup cooked

Try this: The deep-orange flesh of butternut squash is lightly sweet and smooth-textured. It’s so naturally creamy, some bakers prefer to use it rather than its close relative, pumpkin, for making pies. That quality also makes pureed butternut squash a healthy main ingredient for soups or stews. It works well as a replacement for cheese in lasagna or enchiladas. It adds flavor, fiber and nutrients to this Butternut Squash Turkey Chili recipe, a family favorite on cool autumn days.

4. Kale

You’ve probably heard that this leafy green is a superstar of healthy diets and it’s also one of the healthiest fall vegetables because it is so nutrient-dense—high in vitamins and minerals, low in calories. A single cup has just 33 calories, but comes with more than 130 percent of your RDA for both vitamins A and C. It’s also a great source of calcium, a mineral that helps regulate your metabolism. While kale is available most of the year, it tastes best in fall because a few frosty nights soften its texture and reduce its bitterness.

Nutrisystem category: Non-starchy vegetable

Serving size: 1⁄2 cooked or 1 cup raw

Try this: When sautéed, kale becomes tender and mild-flavored. Add garlic or onions and mushrooms to make a savory side dish. If you want to eat kale raw, slice up an avocado and massage it into the leaves with your hands—this tenderizes the leaves and adds a creamy coating. Add kale to smoothies and you won’t even know it’s there. Or try snacking on this simple-to-make Crunchy Kale Chips recipe.

5. Sweet Potatoes

These starchy tubers are a staple of fall meals because they are so sweet and tasty. They’re also significantly more nutritious than ordinary white spuds. An average-size sweet potato has around 50 calories and more than 150 percent of your RDA for vitamin A in a half-cup serving, along with healthy doses of essential minerals like potassium and copper. Because sweet potatoes are high in fiber and low on the glycemic index, they’re classified as SmartCarbs, so you need to be sure to follow the recommended servings for your plan.

Nutrisystem category: SmartCarbs

Serving size: 1⁄2 cup cooked

Try this: A baked sweet potato is simple and filling, but skip the butter and instead add flavor with no-calorie spices such as cayenne pepper or nutmeg. Oven-baked sweet potato fries or wedges are easy to make and fun to eat. Sweet potatoes work well mashed, too. With a spiralizer, you can quickly turn sweet potatoes into noodles that are a healthy alternative to ordinary pasta. Slices of the tuber are the sturdy base for this zesty Mexican Sweet Potato Toast recipe, loaded with tasty beans and low-fat cheese.

6. Cauliflower

Most of us know the snow-white heads, but in fall you may also see orange, yellow and even green cauliflower on produce shelves. All have a very mild taste and are crunchy when raw and tender when cooked. Cauliflower is low in calories (25 in 1 cup) and high in fiber (2.5 grams per cup). It is especially rich in unique compounds called glucosinolates, micronutrients that have been linked to a reduced risk of cancers of the digestive tract.

Nutrisystem category: Non-starchy vegetable

Serving size: 1⁄2 cup cooked

Try this: Cauliflower is perhaps the most versatile of fall vegetables, making it a valuable ingredient, especially for people trying to lose weight. Steamed cauliflower becomes soft enough to be incorporated into mashed potatoes. It can be milled into grains that resemble rice or sliced into thick “steaks” ready for the grill. At snack time, try this Cauliflower Buffalo Bites recipe that have the same spicy flavor as your favorite chicken wings.

7. Spinach

Cool weather is prime time for all sorts of leafy greens, including this nutritional powerhouse. The lower temperatures of autumn keep spinach leaves tender and bitter-free. Each cup has only seven calories, but 56 percent of your RDA for vitamin A. Spinach is just about the best vegetable source of iron, which helps your body produce red blood cells and ward off fatigue.

Nutrisystem category: Non-starchy vegetable

Serving size: 1⁄2 cooked or 1 cup raw

Try this: Raw spinach can be used in every way that you like to eat lettuce—in salads and on sandwiches and wraps. You can add the leaves to smoothies, too. Toss a handful or two of leaves into spaghetti sauce and no one in your family will know but you. For parties or snack time, try this Skinny Spinach Dip recipe.

The post 7 Vegetables That Taste Best in Fall appeared first on The Leaf.

Frequently Asked Questions

What herb melts body fat?

Although it may not be possible for you to lose weight by dieting, herbs can help you burn calories. Over the years, many people have used herbs to achieve this goal. You can use them for this purpose: Green tea, Ginko Biloba and Ginseng.

The herbs can be used topically or orally. They contain nutrients that boost the metabolism rate. These nutrients help speed up the destruction of glycogen stocks and lipids inside the cell walls. This causes the release in the bloodstream of free fatty oils, which can then used to burn as fuel.

Many herbs have been proven to improve immunity and prevent disease. They are great for people who do not want to take drugs or have surgery.

People use herbs because of their effectiveness. However, some people don’t realize just how powerful these natural substances are. Herbs can be purchased at health food stores, pharmacies, and online. Most herbs last for several weeks.

A good example of an herb that works by increasing the metabolic rate is green tea. Green tea is rich in epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG), which boosts activity of enzymes that are responsible for breaking down fats. EGCG has also been found to improve glucose tolerance. This means it reduces the risk of diabetes.

Ginger root is another example. Ginger root acts as a stimulant. It stimulates the digestive tract and increases metabolism. Ginger helps eliminate toxins from our digestive system.

Other herbs that boost the metabolic rate are ginseng, licorice root, mullein leaf, rosemary, turmeric, and valerian root.

In most cases, the best way to take herbs is to drink them as teas. This allows the active ingredients of the herbs to enter the bloodstream more quickly and efficiently. You should always take herbs internally under medical supervision. If you decide to use herbs externally, ensure that you only apply them to the area. If you do not, they can cause irritation or damage to other areas.

What is an African mango?

British explorers were the first to discover the fruit when they went on an expedition through Africa. It has been grown for centuries in South America but, because of climate change and deforestation its production is now declining.

The African Mango Project attempts to reverse this decline by developing sustainable ways of growing East African mangoes.

They are also working toward creating local jobs, and improving the livelihoods in communities around plantations.

Their goal is to produce the first commercial crop in five years.

Do smoothie cleanses work?

This is the key question. Are you getting rid of toxins? If you’re not getting rid of toxins, there might be another problem.

Cleansing must eliminate all toxins from your system in order to be effective.

If this isn’t happening, you either aren’t drinking enough water or haven’t been eating properly.

You may also need to reduce your intake of caffeine and salt.

There are other possible reasons you might not see results.

• Your digestive system isn’t functioning correctly. This means that your body isn’t absorbing what you are taking in.
• You’re not getting enough protein. Protein helps build muscle tissue.
• Too many carbs are being consumed. Carbs are stored energy.
• Too much sugar is a problem. Sugar can cause insulin surges in your bloodstream. This can cause a slowdown in your metabolism.
• Not enough fats are being consumed. Certain vitamins require fats to be absorbed.
• Your diet is not sufficient in essential fatty oils (EFAs). The benefits of EFAs have been shown to decrease inflammation.
• You’re not getting enough fiber. Fiber absorbs excess cholesterol. It can also speed up digestion.
• Insufficient vitamin C is a problem. Collagen production cannot be achieved without Vitamin C. Collagen is essential for keeping skin elastic and firm.
• You are eating too little. You should measure your portions using a standard cup measuring device.
• Your alcohol intake is excessive. Drinking alcohol is extremely drying.
• Consuming too much caffeine is a problem. Too much caffeine is toxic to the liver.
• Low magnesium levels are a problem. Magnesium, which is necessary for healthy bones & muscles, is needed.
• You’re consuming too little potassium. Potassium is needed to maintain fluid balance in your body.

Statistics

• On average, they experienced 28 pounds (12.8 kg) of weight loss, a 6.4-inch (16.2-cm) reduction in waist circumference, and a 6.3% dip in body fat (5Trusted Source (healthline.com)
• Vitamin C:62% of the Daily Value (DV) (healthline.com)
• According to another review from 2012, CLA may make you lose about 1.5 pounds (0.7 kg) compared with a placebo. (healthline.com)
• On average, they may help you lose 3–9% of your body weight compared with a placebo (56Trusted Source (healthline.com)
• After 10 weeks, the CQ-only group experienced an 8.8% decrease in body weight, and the CQ and AME group an 11.8% decrease, on average. (healthline.com)

External Links

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

• IGOB131, a novel seed extract of the West African plant Irvingia gabonensis, significantly reduces body weight and improves metabolic parameters in overweight humans in a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled investigation – PMC
  
• A case report of renal failure that was linked to African mango consumption.
  

fda.gov

• Information for consumers about Dietary Supplements
  
• FDA: Dietary Supplements
  

ods.od.nih.gov

• Ephedra: Office of Dietary supplements
  
• Health Professional Fact Sheet: Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss
  

healthline.com

• Glucomannan – Is It a Good Weight Loss Supplement
  

How To

Reviewed 3 popular weight loss pills and supplements

Many people are turning to weight loss pills and other supplements for their weight loss goals. However, many different types of products are available, making choosing one difficult. This article examines the most effective weight-loss pills and supplements currently on the market.

Healthful eating and exercise are the best ways of losing weight. However, sometimes these methods aren’t enough. There will be times when you feel like not exercising, or healthy food isn’t always readily available. Supplements and weight loss pills are becoming increasingly popular. They help get rid of extra pounds quickly and easily.

There are many weight-loss pills and supplements on the market. We’ve compiled a list of our top choices. We’ve reviewed them, read customer reviews from around the internet, and tested their effectiveness against others! These three products were chosen because they are most popular and highly recommended by consumers. To learn more, you can read our complete review of the three products.

1. PhenQ: PhenQ is a great option for increasing energy levels, and speeding up metabolism. This product contains L-Carnitine Fumarate and Green Coffee Extract. It also includes Chromium Picolinate. Mucuna Pruriens seed Powder, Nettle Root Extract, and Chromium Picolinate. It helps burn fat faster than traditional diets and works well for anyone looking to slim down quickly.
2. Hoodia Gordonii Plus Hoodia Gordonii Plus Hoodia Gordonii Plus, a great supplement for weight loss. It is rich in powerful nutrients such as Garcinia Cambogia Fruit extract, Gymnema Sylvestre leaf Extract, Bitter Melon Extract and Chromium Picolinates. This supplement improves your mood and metabolism.
3. Hydroxycut – Hydroxycut has been helping people lose weight ever since 2004. It is made up of 100% natural ingredients including green tea extract and chromium picolinate as well as caffeine and yohimbineHCL. It may not be as effective as other products on this list, but it does have a low side effect profile.

Other benefits include:

• Energy Boosting. Several diet pills can give users an instant energy boost. This can cause increased cravings for sweets and junk food. Hydroxycut will not cause any type of crash or jitters.
• Blood Sugar Balance: Diet pills can affect blood sugar balance. Hydroxycut can be used to manage your blood sugar.
• Increased Metabolism -It’s no secret that diet pills can increase your metabolism. Most diet pills will raise your resting metabolic rate (RMR) by about 5%-10%. Hydroxycut can increase your RMR by up to 15%-10%, and boost metabolism by as much as 25%-25%
• Better Sleep -You probably know how important sleep is for losing weight. You can sleep better by taking diet pills to reduce anxiety and stress.

The best part? The best part is that none of these benefits have adverse side effects.