Nutrition: Now’s the time to load up on nutritious orange veggies

I’ve got a thing for orange at the moment’and not because it’s this season’s hot accent colour (though I do have my eye on a deep orange handbag). Rather, now is when markets and grocery stores feature basketfuls of orange-fleashed squash, carrots and sweet potatoes.

Loaded with nutrients’including important compounds that help make good-for-your-eyes vitamin A, antioxidants that lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and vitamins that help boost your immune system (see 5 health benefits of orange vegetables)’at least one half-cup (125-mL) serving  of orange veggies per day is recommended by Canada’s Food Guide.

They’re also surprisingly versatile: From raw carrots with lunch and the sweet slices of butternut squash that I roasted for dinner this past weekend, to stuffed squash that make a perfect vegetarian main course. Another favourite at my house is to bake sweet potatoes and regular spuds and mix and mash portions of each. Try these 10 ways to eat orange vegetables, as well as 10 ways to eat squash.

What are your favourite ways to put more orange in your day?