Health Perks: Butternut squash is an excellent source of vitamin A (beta carotene), which is said to have antioxidant properties. It’s low in calories, and 1 cup provides 3 grams of fiber, half your daily requirement for vitamin C, 493 milligrams potassium and a good dose of manganese, thiamin, vitamin B-6, niacin and calcium (67 milligrams).

Nutrition: 1 cup (140g) has 63 calories, 0.14g fat, 16.4g carbs, 3g fiber, 1.5g protein.

Seek Out: The squash should feel heavy for its size and have skin that is a deep tan. It should have a smooth, dry, firm, dull rind and a firm, rounded, dry stem.

Avoid: Cracks, or a glossy or shiny rind, which indicate the squash was picked too early. A soft skin is a sign of decay. A missing stem permits bacteria to enter the vegetable.

Storage: Whole squash can be stored for three months or longer in a cool, dry place. “Note that the moist, stringy portion inside starts to break down first, but once scraped out and discarded, the rest of the squash is fine to eat,” says Aliza Green, author of Field Guide to Produce (Quirk Books, 2004).

Interesting: There are many other varieties of winter squash, including acorn, banana, buttercup, Hubbard and spaghetti.

Sweet Potatoes

Why: Nothing says fall like sweet potatoes. They’re versatile, nutritious and tasty. And you can make guiltless fries with them. Sweet potatoes come either with a pale yellow, dry flesh or with a dark orange, moist flesh. The dark orange variety is thicker and sweeter than the yellow variety.

Health Perks: One potato provides 370 percent of your daily needs for vitamin A (beta carotene) as well as 8 percent of your magnesium and 13 percent of your potassium. Sweet potatoes are also a good source of vitamins C, B6, thiamin, riboflavin and niacin, as well as calcium and iron.

Nutrition: One potato (5 inches long, 130g) has 112 calories, 0.07g fat, 26g carbs, 4g fiber, 2g protein.

Seek Out: Firm, smooth, dark-colored skin.

Avoid: Wrinkles, bruises, sprouts or other signs of decay. And the potatoes should not be sticky, says Green.

Storage: They keep for up to a month in a dry, cool place (55-60 degrees) or for about a week at room temperature. Sweet potatoes can spoil quickly if not kept correctly. Do not store them in the refrigerator, and don’t wash them until ready to cook.

Interesting: Nutritionally, sweet potatoes beat yams. Although the two terms are commonly used interchangeably, the sweet potato is a member of the morning glory family, while the yam is a tuber generally found only in Latin American markets.

Pears

Why: They are the second most popular fruit in the United States (after the apple). They’re delicious, succulent and sweet. According to the CDC, there are more than 3,000 known varieties.

Health Perks: A medium pear has 5.5 grams of dietary fiber, 212 milligrams of potassium and is a good source of vitamin C (7.5mg).

Nutrition: One medium (178g) has 103 calories, 0.2g fat, 27.5g carbs, 5.5g fiber, 0.68g protein.

Seek Out: Slightly green, unblemished skin. Pears are harvested unripe and need to be ripened off the tree. According to the Pear Bureau Northwest, Bartlett pears change from green to yellow as they ripen. Other varieties, including Anjou, Bosc, Comice and Seckel, do not noticeably change color when ripe — they will give a bit when pressed near the stem. “Choose pears that have begun to ripen, with skin that is starting to look waxy, rather than shiny and hard,” says Green.

Avoid: Bruises or cuts and dark brown colors. “And overly green or hard pears, which will be difficult to ripen properly,” adds Green.

Storage: Put them in a brown paper bag to ripen for a couple of days. After they’re ripe you can keep them in the fridge for a few more days. When sliced apples or pears are exposed to air, oxidation occurs, causing the flesh to turn brown. The discoloration can be slowed by brushing the exposed flesh with a solution of water and lemon juice.

Interesting: Washington State is responsible for 45.7 percent of total pear production in the United States.

Pomegranate

Why: Haven’t you heard? It’s a super food. To be honest, I just tasted one for the first time today — and the seeds are enjoyable. In fact, the sweet-tart flavored seeds are very tasty. It’s a strange-looking fruit, slightly larger than an apple. And when you split it open you’ll see large groupings of red seeds in a spongy white casing.

Health Perks: OK, maybe it can’t cure every disease, as many pomegranate juice distributors would have you believe. However, it is a very good source of vitamin C and potassium and a good source of fiber. Also, it’s low in calories. The pomegranate is high in powerful antioxidants called polyphenols — tannins, anthocyanins and ellagic acid. It is also high in phytosterols (plant sterols), which are helpful in lowering cholesterol. The pomegranate is known for reducing the risk factors that lead to cardiovascular diseases and some types of cancer. 

Nutrition: One pomegranate (3-3/8" in diameter, 154g) has 105 calories, 0.5g fat, 27g carbs, 1g fiber, 1.5g protein.

Seek Out: Fruit with a lot of bright color in the skin. It should feel heavy for its size.

Avoid: Blemished skin.

Storage: You can keep pomegranates in the fridge for about two months and at room temperature for a couple of weeks. You can also freeze the seeds for a few months.

Interesting: You can blend the seeds and put them through a strainer to make your own juice.  And the best way to remove the seeds? Cut the crown off the fruit, then cut the pomegranate into sections. Put the sections in a bowl of water for about five minutes, then roll out the seeds with your fingers and strain out the water.
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CHARLES STUART PLATKIN is a nutrition and public health advocate, founder of DietDetective.com, the health and fitness network and author of The Diet Detective's Calorie Bargain Bible (Simon & Schuster, 2007). Copyright 2007 by Charles Stuart Platkin. All rights reserved. Sign up for the free Diet Detective newsletter and iTunes podcast at www.DietDetective.com.

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written by Jeanette Tullis, November 29, 2007

I read your site while reading the WLRN newsletter. I need to learn how clip the recipes. Thanks for the valuable information on the different foods-the info is short and very informative.

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written by swirlingnotions, October 26, 2007

Love that you can peel butternut squash with a carrot peeler. That changed everything for me.

www.swirlingnotions.com