Eat the Rainbow This Fall: Seasonal Foods for Gut Health

Fall is here! And with the change in season comes an abundance of fresh, colourful fall produce. As we transition from the warmth of summer into the cooler months, it’s a great time to bring more seasonal fruits and vegetables into our meals and focus on nourishing, nutrient-dense foods.

Why Eat Seasonally in the Fall?

Eating seasonally is a simple way to add variety to your diet while enjoying produce when it’s naturally abundant. Fall brings plenty of root vegetables, squash, leafy greens, apples, pears, and other foods that can be incorporated into comforting, nourishing meals.

One easy approach to building a balanced plate is to “eat the rainbow.” Different colours in fruits and vegetables are associated with different plant compounds, including phytonutrients.

Phytonutrients are naturally occurring compounds found in plants. There are thousands of different phytonutrients, many of which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. A varied diet rich in plant foods can help provide a wide range of these beneficial compounds and support overall health.

Eating the Rainbow: Why Colour Matters

No single colour is necessarily better than another. Each offers a different combination of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients, which is why variety is so important.

Eating a diverse range of plant foods can also help support gut health and the gut microbiome. Fruits, vegetables, seeds, legumes, nuts, herbs, spices, and whole grains provide different types of fibre and carbohydrates that help nourish beneficial gut bacteria.

Fibre is particularly important for digestive health, yet many people don’t get enough of it in their everyday diet. Adding a greater variety of whole plant foods is one practical way to gradually increase your fibre intake.

The Colours of Fall: Orange and Yellow Foods

Fall is known for its warm, earthy colours—deep greens, yellows, oranges, reds, and browns. It’s also the perfect season for root vegetables, roasted squash, and warming meals like a comforting bowl of butternut squash soup.

Orange and yellow fruits and vegetables are particularly interesting because many contain carotenoids, including beta-cryptoxanthin, a compound the body can convert into vitamin A.

Vitamin A plays an important role in normal immune function, vision, and skin health. Beta-cryptoxanthin also has antioxidant properties and is one of many phytonutrients being studied for its potential role in long-term health.

Fall Foods Rich in Orange and Yellow Phytonutrients

Try adding more colourful foods to your fall meals, such as:

• Butternut and acorn squash

• Pumpkin

• Sweet potatoes

• Carrots

• Yellow and orange bell peppers

• Oranges and tangerines

• Cantaloupe

• Peaches and papaya

• Mango and pineapple

  
  

While not all of these foods are locally in season during a Toronto fall, they can still help add variety, colour, and valuable nutrients to your diet.

Build a Colourful Fall Plate

Healthy eating doesn’t need to be complicated. When possible, choose a variety of seasonal and locally available foods and aim to fill your plate with different colours, flavours, and textures.

This fall, experiment with roasted root vegetables, warming soups, colourful salads, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, herbs, and spices. Small changes that increase the diversity of plant foods in your diet can help you build a more varied and nourishing way of eating.

At Holistia Wellness in Midtown Toronto, our nutrition services take an individualized approach to food and wellness. If you’re looking for support with your eating habits, digestive health, or overall nutrition, our team can help you develop strategies that fit your needs, preferences, and lifestyle.

With that said, here’s a Gut Healing Butternut Squash Soup recipe recommended by our functional nutrition counsellor, Behnaz (dairy and gluten free):

Ingredients:

1 medium sized organic butternut squash, cubed (1x1 inch) with the skin on

1 large diced white onion

6 minced cloves of garlic

1 apple, diced into cubes

1 teaspoon pink salt

2 tablespoons organic tomato paste

1 litre grass-fed bone broth (other broths work as well)

1 cup hot water

1 can full fat unsweetened coconut milk

1.5 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

2 sprigs of minced rosemary, removed from the stems

1/4 teaspoon dried organic sage

1 bunch fresh organic parsley

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

2 tablespoons avocado or coconut oil for cooking

1 teaspoon olive oil to serve

Instructions:

You need a large soup pan for this nourishing recipe.

• Start by prepping the ingredients and mincing and chopping the squash, onions, ginger, apple, and garlic.

• Then heat up your soup pan (medium low heat works well) and add your oil of choice; I prefer coconut for this recipe.

• Sauté the garlic and ginger first.

• Once you smell their aroma and they begin to turn colour, add your squash, onions, and apples. Sauté these on medium low heat for about 15 mins.

• Mix in the tomatoes next.

• Then add your spices and seasonings, and stir well.

• Next, pour in your liquids: bone broth, water, and coconut milk.

• If the soup is still too thick, add more water or broth as needed until it reaches your desired

• Put the lead on and let this cook for about 30 - 40 mins on medium heat until the squash is tender.

• Once done, remove from the stove.

• You can transfer this to a separate container and blend using an immersion blender to get a velvety smooth soup consistency.

• Let it cool down for a bit. To serve, add some olive oil to your bowl, then chop up parsley to either sprinkle on top or add a full tablespoon to your soup.

• This is a nutrient dense recipe to use in a weekly fall meal plan.

Enjoy!

Tip: never use plastic containers or plastic blender for hot foods. Glass, stainless steel, and enamelled glass only. Or wait until this is completely cooled down and utilize any plastic appliance you have available.

Behnaz Beigui, CFNC