Halloween inspired veggies to help you live longer
Halloween is here and filled with spooky decorations, costumes, ghosts, spiderwebs and carved pumpkins. And of course, candy and treats. Extend that Halloween spirit into your food by incorporating more fa-BOO-lous orange vegetables into your meals (you’ll feel better about eating those treats too). Even better, a new study was just published in the journal JAMA of internal medicine, which found swapping plant protein for animal protein considerably reduces death rates. Eating more plant protein sources can add years to your life!
Why orange is beneficial
Brightly colored veggies are loaded with nutrients, as are greens, but especially orange has unique health benefits that may even lengthen your life-expectancy. Orange colored produce is rich in phytonutrients and carotenoids (the pigment responsible for the color), which acts as an antioxidant.
Here’s the scoop on these vibrant orange vegetables, just as their ripeness peaks with the holiday:
1. Sweet potato
Studies show that increasing your potassium intake can be a helpful, preventative action in the fight against High Blood Pressure (can be a risky factor for heart disease and stroke). While bananas have certainly stolen the potassium show, a tasty sweet potato actually contains much more! Chow down on this orange spud and your heart will thank you for years to come. Try our Savory Croquettes for some sweet potato goodness.
2. Carrot
"It’s great to be sick," said no one ever. It’s especially important during fall and winter, to keep your immune system strong. Give it a boost by upping your intake of vitamin C. Good news — carrots are rich in vitamin C!
3. Pumpkin
Don’t just carve your pumpkins this Halloween, you should eat them too! Just one cup of this not so spooky gourd will get you to 20% of your daily intake requirement of Vitamin A, which plays an important role in developing and protecting your vision, bone growth, and reproduction (to name a few). Want to keep all of these bodily functions running happy and healthily well into old age? Try re-thinking that jack-o-lantern or, better yet, double-up on this year’s trip to the pumpkin patch! Don’t forget about the extra gift inside: the seeds! Roast them off to make perfect heart-healthy snack.
4. Orange Bell Pepper
It’s sweet, not spicy and mighty good for you. The carotenoids are important for good vision, strong body defenses and healthy-looking skin. It also happens to be low in calories and fat, making them the perfect snack or addition to any veggie dish. Plus, it’s a great source of vitamin B6, which helps your body process protein and vitamin C, which makes absorbing iron much easier for your body to metabolize. It’s win-win!
Read more about Pumped for Peppers!
Since these scrumptious orange vegetables haven’t scared you away, have fun playing around with different options and combinations. Try our Savory Croquettes, Mushroom Risotto and Red Curry with Tofu to get in your orange and keep a little piece of Halloween with you all year!
