Food & recipes

Seasonal foods with a nutritional punch

Check out Dr Sally Norton’s seasonal favourires for health and weight-loss benefits

Pumpkin

Not just for carving at Halloween, pumpkins (and squashes in general) are a great alternative to potato. A cup of cooked, mashed pumpkin contains more than 200 percent of your recommended daily intake of vitamin A, which aids vision, particularly in dim light, according to the National Institute of Health – perfect as the nights are drawing in! Pumpkin is also a great source of fibre – 3g per one-cup serving and only 49 calories, keeping you feeling fuller for longer which is key when it comes to weight-loss. And don’t forget the seeds – pumpkin seeds are a rich source of typtophan, an amino acid that helps the body produce seretonin – the body’s mood-regulating hormone – so a handful a day, may help keep the winter blues at bay!

Apples

Whether it’s windfalls from the garden or a bag with your weekly shop, apples are in season and in abundance in autumn. A great on-the-go snack, packed with fibre to keep you feeling full and natural sugar for a little boost, they are also great pureed and used in place of sugar to sweeten any homebaked treats, with fewer calories.

Brussel sprouts

Sprouts get a bad press at this time of year, but they really do deserve a place on your plate this winter. Like cauli and broccoli, cruciferous vegetables really are worthy of a ‘superfood’ tag, with the ability to lower cholesterol, fight inflammation and some early studies show they may even help inhibit some forms of cancer.

Blackberries

Free and laden heavy in hedgerows at this time of year – add a handful of blackberries to some protein-rich Greek yoghurt for an antioxidant rich, low-sugar pud.

Cinnamon and spices

We’ve extolled the virtues of fragrant spices before – as the night’s draw in why not make a healthy curry tonight to warm you up? As well as internal central heating, they offer antiseptic properties, an immune system boost, pain-relief and even an increase in sex drive!

Citrus fruits

The supermarkets are gearing up for Christmas and netted bags of satsumas are piled high. These pocket-sized powerhouses are full of vitamin C – and they come ready wrapped! Perfect for on-the-go snacking to keep cold season at bay! (Cranberries and pomegranates are in season and great sources of Vitamin C too).

Dr Sally Norton is a leading UK health expert, NHS weight loss consultant and surgeon and founder of vavista.com and vavista-awards.com

Article by

Dr Sally Norton

NHS weight loss consultant and surgeon

Dr Sally Norton is a leading UK health expert, NHS weight loss consultant and surgeon and founder of vavista.com and vavista-awards.com

Discover more

Article by

Dr Sally Norton

NHS weight loss consultant and surgeon

Dr Sally Norton is a leading UK health expert, NHS weight loss consultant and surgeon and founder of vavista.com and vavista-awards.com

Discover more