Foods That Taste Best In October & Winter Gardening
1. Apples
Apples are in season from August to November, but many unique varieties not made for storage come into their prime in October. Try Fuji apples or Gravenstein apples for 2 varieties that reach their peak in October.
Compared to other commonly consumed fruits in the US, apples rank 2nd for highest antioxidant activity. However, they ranked highest for the proportion of free phenolic compounds, which means they are not bound to other compounds in the fruit, and therefore may be more easily absorbed into the bloodstream.
Notably, much of apples’ antioxidant power is contained in the peel, where you willfind antioxidants like catechins, procyanidins, chlorogenic acid, ploridizin, and more. Eating apples has been linked to a lower risk of chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and dementia.
It’s best to eat apples in their whole form, as this will give you the synergistic blend of nutrients and fiber the way nature intended.
2. Pears
Pears are in season from August to February, but like apples, a few varieties stand out in October: try Bartlett pears or French butter pears, if you can find them.
Pears are rich in Vitamin C and copper, and are 1 of the highest-fiber fruits. Fiber plays an essential role in your digestive, heart, and skin health, and may improve blood sugar control, weight management, and more.
People who ate a diet high in white-fleshed fruits like pears or apples also had a 52% lower risk of stroke, according to an American Heart Association study, likely due to their fiber and phytochemical contents.
3. Grapes
Grapes are popular during the Summer, but grapes harvested during October tend to be sweeter, since the cool nighttime temperatures bring out their sugar. Grapes contain Vitamin K, manganese, and beneficial antioxidants, including resveratrol, which is found in red grape skins.
Resveratrol’s antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic properties have been well-established by science, and its benefits are thought to extend to the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, among others.
Grapes should be consumed in moderation, as they’re high in fructose, and excessive fructose intake is linked to insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and obesity in those who eat a highly processed food diet.
Note: the consumption of whole grapes has been linked to a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. It is likely that the phytonutrients in the grapes compensate for any potential fructose toxicity.
4. Persimmons
Persimmons are fairly uncommon in the US, though they are the national fruit of Japan. These red-brown or orange fruits are rich in Vitamins A and C, along with manganese, fiber, B-complex Vitamins, copper, and phosphorus. They are also a good source of phytonutrients, flavonoids and antioxidants, including lycopene, lutein, and beta-carotene.
Hachiya persimmons should be eaten fully ripe. Fuyu persimmons are also in-season in October; these can be eaten hard, like an apple.
5. Pumpkins
Pumpkins are most plentiful and easy to find in the US in October, mostly for decorations or carving into Jack-O-Lanterns. But do not discount pumpkins’ value as a food. Pumpkin is a type of Winter squash that is an excellent source of carotenoids, including beta-carotene, which converts into Vitamin A in your body.
Pumpkin is also rich in fiber, with three grams in a 1-cup serving, and you can consume the seeds, too, for additional benefits like immune system and prostate support.
Other notable nutrients in pumpkin include vitamin C, potassium, riboflavin, copper, and manganese, along with vitamin E, B vitamins, folate, iron, and phosphorus.
Taken together, pumpkin provides a powerful blend of nutrients that work together to synergistically benefit your health.
As reported in Nutrition Research Reviews: “Pumpkin is one of the well-known edible plants and has substantial medicinal properties due to the presence of unique natural edible substances. It contains several phyto-constituents belonging to the categories of alkaloids, flavonoids, and palmitic, oleic, and linoleic acids.
Various important medicinal properties including anti-diabetic, antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, and others have been well documented.”
When using fresh pumpkin in your cooking, simply wash the pumpkin’s exterior, scoop out the seeds and pulp, and roast it, whole, in a 350-degree F oven for one to two hours, until tender.
You can also cut it in half and place it, cut side down, on a baking sheet in a 350-degree F oven for 1 to 2 hours. Then, simply scrape out the tender flesh and discard the rind. Pumpkin is in season from October to February.
Winter Gardening
Depending on where you live, even in the northernmost areas of the US, a wide variety of vegetables can be grown during the Winter, especially with the assistance of a few simple temperature-shielding strategies, such as cold frames, cloches, and row covers.
For your Winter garden, your most important date to know is your “1st frost” date.
You will want to plant your seeds early enough that the plants will be established before getting subjected to a light freeze. So the 1st step is to check your hardiness zone to see when your 1st frost is expected.
Most Winter vegetables are planted in mid to late Summer so they are strong and ready for when the temperatures drop, and then ripe for harvest in Winter or early Spring.
Timing this depends on how long each plant takes to reach maturity. Some vegetables actually develop a better flavor after a frost, so you will need to plan accordingly. It is one of the best ways to have fresh, inexpensive access to in-season vegetables during the Fall and Winter months.
Eat healthy, Be healthy, Live lively
HeffX-LTN
Paul Ebeling
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