Fall fruits and vegetables are often admired for their deep, rich colors. But those traits run more than just skin deep. They are often clues that the foods contain nutrients some research suggests cuts down on the risk of developing some forms of cancer.

The Not-So Humble Pumpkin

An icon of the fall harvest, the pumpkin has a number of nutritional things going for it just below the surface. Pumpkins are loaded with carotenoids, a class of nutrients that have been linked to the prevention of several kinds of cancer. While pumpkins are typically consumed in the fall and winter as part of a dessert, they can also be enjoyed in a cornucopia of other ways. Some of those include roasted pumpkin, pumpkin soup and pumpkin bread. Although most stores don't stock whole pumpkins much past Halloween, other carotenoid-containing foods can be found year round. Some of those include carrots, yams, and sweet potatoes. Other orange-fleshed vegetables to look out for include the pumpkin's relatives, butternut and acorn squash.

An Apple a Day

Another crop associated with the fall harvest but often available year round, apples are also packed with cancer preventing properties. In the case of apples, the key nutrient is quercitin, which helps shield DNA in the body's cells from damage that could result in the development of cancer. In order to get the maximum nutritional benefit from apples, it's best to eat them along with the skin and not combined with sugars and fats.

Fantastic Cranberries

Another deeply colored fruit that shows up around the fall and winter holidays, the cranberry contains benzoic acid, a nutrient that has been shown to slow the growth of lung and colon cancers. Like pumpkins, whole cranberries are sold for a very limited time in the fall and early winter. The good news is that the berries keep well in the freezer. Stocking up on cranberries while they are in season and at their nutritional peak, then storing them in the freezer for later helps ensure that the berries are at the ready all year long. One guideline to finding cancer fighting foods is to look for an abundance of color. Seek out colorful produce such as tomatoes, grapes, red onions, and cherries. The brighter and richer the pigment; the higher the nutrient content.

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