Seasonal Superfoods For Fall

Cold and flu season is upon us, and the best way to stay healthy is to maintain a balanced and nutritious diet.

Fall brings loads of local, nutrient-rich foods to farmers markets and grocery stores around the country. Although you may not think of them as superfoods, some of the most iconic fall foods are full of really good stuff.

Click here for the Seasonal Superfoods For Fall slideshow.

Pumpkins are not just for carving; pick up cooking varieties like Cinderella or Long Island Cheese to make pumpkin soup or your own pumpkin pie pureé. As a bonus, roast the seeds and get a huge dose of magnesium and fiber. Aside from pumpkins, winter squash of all varieties are healthy for you, with tons of vitamin A, potassium, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids.

We're at the peak of apple-picking season, which means that you'll have no trouble getting your apple a day (and all of the fiber and vitamin C that comes with it) from all of the apple pies, apple tarts, and apple butter that you'll be making.

Cranberry sauce adds some color to your Thanksgiving table, but then fades to the background for the rest of the season. As a natural tool for dental health (they inhibit harmful bacteria that cause cavities), cranberries should be part of every diet. Watch out for sugar-heavy cranberry juice cocktail, which definitely won't help your teeth. Combine sweet-tart cranberries with fiber-heavy Brussels sprouts in a salad for a superfood meal.

Often underappreciated due to dull colors and knobby features, root vegetables like sweet potatoes, turnips, and beets, are packed with important vitamins and store well throughout the long winter.

The cold weather sets in, and all you want to hibernate with comfort food. We get it. Add some of these fall superfoods to your cozy casseroles, steaming soups, and slow cooker meals to warm up this fall with nutrient-packed comfort foods.

This story was originally published on October 23, 2014.