Pumpkin among 5 fall superfoods you should try

A change of seasons provides us with a chance to make some changes to our diets.
There are plenty of foods that are good and good for us, that are more popular this time of year.

Kristin Kirkpatrick is a registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic's Wellness Institute. She says pumpkins pack a healthy punch.

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"The seeds are very high in zinc and that's one mineral that some of us are deficient in and pumpkin is also high in something called carotenoids. And carotenoids have actually been found to reduce the risk of breast cancer in women," she explained.

Kirkpatrick says the orange flesh of sweet potatoes contains beta-carotene, which she says is a known cancer fighter.

Brussel sprouts have been linked to increased survival in breast cancer patients and Kirkpatrick says they may even help with treatment.

Pomegranates are also prominent in the fall and according to Kirkpatrick, may decrease the risk of prostate cancer in men. 

She adds that eating an apple a day may actually keep the doctor away.

"One of the main benefits that we see in apples is a reduction in our lousy LDL cholesterol," said Kirkpatrick. "That means if you are having apples regularly you are going to reduce your risk for heart disease and stroke."

Kirkpatrick says to reap the most nutritional benefit from your apples, be sure to eat it in its whole form with the skin.