Autumn Diet Must-Haves: 3 Products

Autumn and winter are a special time when the body needs extra support to cope with colder weather and infections. Now is the time to take care of what ends up on your plates. Today I will tell you which three products should be included in your diet to strengthen your immunity, warm up your body and provide valuable nutrients 🙂

 

Turmeric — a Plant Panacea

I have already mentioned this plant and the spice made from it very often on the blog, including HERE. Why can’t it be missing from your diet, especially in the autumn and winter? The curcumin contained in turmeric, which belongs to strong polyphenols, is sometimes called a panacea. Research into its use in the treatment of many diseases (Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular system, various cancers) is still ongoing. But curcumin is also used in the treatment of viral infections, which have recently become increasingly common. Experimental studies have shown that it can inhibit the activity of the influenza virus.

Naturally, the doses of curcumin used in studies are high and administered in the form of special preparations. Nevertheless, I encourage you to use turmeric as often as possible, which will certainly bring health benefits, not forgetting its culinary qualities (flavour, taste and color).

 

Ginger in the Fight Against Infections

This ingredient definitely must be listed here! We usually remember about it on cool, autumn evenings. It works perfectly as an addition to a warming tea or herbal infusion. It’s important to know that ginger has anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. Research studies have shown already in the 1980s that compounds derived from ginger can inhibit the activity of prostaglandins (responsible for the course of inflammatory reactions), and the effect of their action is comparable to that of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Ginger will therefore be an important ingredient in the diet of people struggling with inflammatory diseases (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis). If you want to read more about its properties, look HERE.

 

Pumpkin: a Wealth of Flavour and Health

Since we’re talking about autumn, it’s time for pumpkin. This time of year, you’ll find them in markets and almost every grocery store. You can choose from a wide variety of options, such as regular, Hokkaido, butternut, and spaghetti. Pumpkin is a rich source of carotenoids, tocopherols, antioxidants, and fiber, and its seeds are rich in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. It has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.

To speed up your daily cooking, I recommend roasting a larger amount of pumpkin, then blending it into a purée, portioning it and freezing it. You can easily use this pumpkin purée to prepare a flavourful creamy soup, sandwich spreads, muffins, or cakes. Don’t forget about the seeds and pumpkin seed oil, which you can sprinkle over your salad, soup or main course. To finish off, I’m sharing a recipe from my blog for a delicious, warming, lusciously creamy pumpkin soup with nuts HERE.

 

We all love spring vegetables, summer fruits and veggies. But don’t forget that autumn also has lots of real treasures in store for us! What products would you add to the list of autumn must-haves? Cinnamon, plums, pears, mushrooms…? I’m positive you have your favorites. And if you’re lacking ideas for what to prepare with them, take a look at the Book of Flavours or the diet plans in the Diet & Training by Ann app. You’re sure to find something for yourself. Happy cooking! 🙂

 

Bibliography:

1. Batool, M., Ranjha, M. M. A. N., Roobab, U., et al. (2022). Nutritional value, phytochemical potential, and therapeutic benefits of pumpkin (Cucurbita sp.). Plants, 11(11), 1394.
2. Dymarska, E., Grochowalska, A., Krauss, H., & Chęcińska-Maciejewska, Z. (2016). Naturalne modyfikatory odpowiedzi immunologicznej. Problemy Higieny i Epidemiologii, 97(4), 297-307.
3. Liu, S., Liu, J., He, L., et al. (2022). A comprehensive review on the benefits and problems of curcumin with respect to human health. Molecules, 27(14), 4400.