11 Heart-Healthy Fruits and Veggies to Eat This Fall

“The modern Western diet creates chronic inflammation in the body, which is at the root of many diseases, including heart disease,” says Finckenor. This is because many Americans eat too much saturated fat and refined sugar.

There are many ways to cook with Brussels sprouts, including roasting them or enjoying them raw, shaved in salads, or roasted.

For best results, roast or grill squash with olive oil or make roasted butternut squash soup.

Aside from the tried and true roasting, sautéing, or grilling methods for cooking broccoli, try using grated broccoli and its cousin, cauliflower, as a grain substitute.

Bonus? You can have your sweets and eat them, too, even if you have type 2 diabetes. Sweet potatoes have a low glycemic index, meaning they may not raise blood sugar as quickly as other carbohydrates, even in people with diabetes, Fenster adds.

For best results, bake them with chili powder and olive oil, or roast and drizzle with a small amount of maple syrup, a natural sweetener that also has plant-based compounds that act as antioxidants, says Fenster.

You can drink pomegranate juice, but Finckenor says it’s better to eat the fruit itself to get the most fiber. Try using the seeds (called arils) in oatmeal, yogurt, cereal, salad, or even guacamole. To get to the seeds, cut off the top and bottom of the fruit, then quarter the remainder. Soak the quarters in water until the seeds separate from the membrane, then drain and dry the seeds.

To get the most out of this vegetable, roast it, or turn it into soup by simmering in water with garlic and salt until tender, then pureeing the mixture.

When cooking green beans, resist drowning them in a can of creamy soup (which can be high in sodium and fat) and instead steam or roast your beans. You can also experiment with different flavor profiles by seasoning with spices like curry or Ethiopian berbere.

When cooking beets, consider roasting them as a side dish, tossing some in salads, or steaming them with a sprinkling of olive oil, salt, and pepper. And if the taste of beets isn’t for you, try adding beetroot powder to a smoothie for a healthy nitrate boost.

If you’re tired of eating raw apples, try sautéing them with onions, lemon juice, and spices like rosemary or basil to use as a topping for any protein. Or bake them whole or sliced. For a healthy snack any time of day, try apple slices with peanut butter and a dash of cinnamon.

The takeaway is that eating more fruits, vegetables, and legumes will promote heart health because of fiber’s beneficial influence on controlling your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

To retain all the fiber when eating pears, leave the skins on and eat them as is. You can also poach or bake them.

To prepare a pumpkin, cut it in half and remove the seeds, pulp, and stringy innards. Chop into small pieces and peel, boil for 25 to 30 minutes until tender, then mash or puree in a blender or food processor.

This winter squash is very versatile, and a wealth of healthy pumpkin recipes is available. You can also add them to salads and smoothie bowls, or enjoy them on their own as a snack for a solid boost to your daily nutrition.