A harvest full of nutrition
Dietetic intern shares helpful, healthy fall produce insights
While Thanksgiving is just days away, it's never too late to elevate your family's dinner with something from Nova Scotia's bountiful fall harvest.
From gourds and greens to root vegetables and more, the province's cornucopia of appetizing and healthy agriculture is never hard to find — especially with local retailers, like the Antigonish Farmers' Market, which features more than 50 vendors, nearby.
In preparation for Thanksgiving dinner, and all the appetizing meals sure to follow, we recently sat down with Antigonish Farmers' Market dietetic intern Ana Maria Bejarano-martinez to discuss a variety of healthy fall produce. Having completed her bachelor of science in human nutrition at Saint Francis Xavier University in the spring, the 23-year-old dietician-intraining knows exactly what it takes to make this season's tastiest moments both delicious and nutritious.
Q: First of all, Ana Maria, congrats on your placement as Antigonish Farmers' Market dietetic intern. What does the role entail and how do you help market visitors?
A: Thank you, I really appreciate it. My role is to work with the Antigonish Farmers' Market on projects that benefit both the Antigonish community and the farmers' market, including their vendors. The main projects I will be working on during my placement are organizing a fall community meal, creating social media posts that provide both nutritional education and market vendor
advertisements, and helping out with the Antigonish Community Food Pantry.
Q: Nova Scotia is pretty bountiful in a variety of local produce. Why is it important, from a health perspective, to incorporate local food into
our diets?
A: Local farmers pick their produce at their peak, which means that they have a shorter time between the harvest and our table; this means that local produce is more likely to retain their nutrients and flavour. Supporting local vendors benefits the local economy and it is environmentally friendly.
Q: Let's get the iconic pumpkin out of the way. It's a great decoration, but I'm sure it does a lot of good from within. Also, what about the seeds — should we be throwing those out?
A: Pumpkins contain vitamin A, which helps promote the health of your eyes, skin and immune system. Pumpkin seeds are edible and contain iron and protein. Roasting them with some cinnamon or salt and pepper could make for a satiating snack.
Q: I see that you offer a variety of squashes at the farmers' market. What are some of the key nutrients of squash?
A: The Antigonish Farmers' Market offers delicata squash, butternut squash, buttercup squash, and spaghetti squash. Squash contains beta carotene — the compound that gives vegetables like carrots, squash and pumpkin their characteristic orange/yellow colour; it's also an essential compound for vision. Squash also contains potassium, a mineral that could help lower blood pressure.
Q: What about leafy greens?
A: Some of the leafy greens available at the farmers' market are kale, spinach, Japanese spinach, arugula, and Swiss chard. Leafy greens contain Vitamin K, which helps in wound healing and bone health. They are also high in fibre which aids in digestive health.
Q: Cranberry sauce is, of course, a staple for many Thanksgiving dinners. Is homemade going to be more healthy than canned? Does the market offer cranberries or cranberry sauce?
A: One of the vendors will sell their cranberries from
Oct. 8 to Oct. 29. Preparing cranberry sauce at home using fresh and local ingredients allows for more control with recipe development. For instance, a homemade cranberry sauce can be adapted to contain less added sugar. Trying to make our own cranberry sauce may be a good bonding activity to do with friends or family.
Q: Also, could you remind the public of the solid nutritional profile of the beloved potato that will be on plenty of plates this Thanksgiving?
A: Potatoes are an affordable and versatile source of energy. If eaten with the skin, the extra fibre helps eaters to feel full for longer and can help to improve digestive health. Potatoes also contain Vitamin C, which could be beneficial to our immune systems.
Q: I'm pretty obsessed with gut health these days, so this one's a selfish question: are there any superfoods that benefit the gut at the market?
A: Gut health typically refers to having a diverse gut microbiota; this is, to have different species of beneficial bacteria living in your digestive system. The easiest way to diversify your gut microbiota is to expand your food horizons, especially towards eating a variety of fruits and vegetables. Thus, getting curious and buying different vegetables from your local vendors is a good way to expand your tastebuds while benefitting gut health.
Q: Will you be spending Thanksgiving in Nova Scotia? What are you looking forward to?
A: Yes! I will be spending Thanksgiving in Nova Scotia. I look forward to relaxing a bit, calling my family on Facetime and baking my own pumpkin creation.
Q: Anything you'd like to add?
A: I wanted to thank you for this amazing opportunity. Thanksgiving is a holiday where we should enjoy delicious food with our loved ones and practice gratitude while acknowledging that we live in unceded Indigenous territory. I also wanted to wish you, everyone at The
Casket/saltwire and all the readers a happy Thanksgiving and encourage everyone to come visit us at the Antigonish Farmers' Market!
To learn more about Antigonish Farmers' Market, visit www.antigonishfarmersmarket.ca