![](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/ThinkstockPhotos-497454523-480x320.jpg)
Fall is a popular favorite season because it’s crisp, colorful and comfy. But there’s yet another reason to love this time of year: It’s healthy — or at least can be. Simmering research suggests that wonderful fall foods aren’t only rich with flavor, but they’re also packed with nutrition and health benefits. Here are six ingredients you need to embrace this season — and ideas for how to use them:
![CARVER, MA - OCTOBER 22: Cranberries are harvested at Weston Cranberry Farm October 22, 2004 in Carver, Massachusetts. Most of the worlds cranberries are harvested on 37 thousand acres in five states, with Massachusetts being the leading producer. (Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images)](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/GettyImages-51540290-1880x1233.jpg)
![This Feb. 2, 2011 photo shows maple-garlic roasted parsnips in Concord, N.H. Maple syrup creates a deliciously sweet glaze in this recipe. If parsnips arent your thing, feel free to substitute carrots, beets or other root vegetables. (AP Photo/Larry Crowe)](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/AP_110202110109-1880x1254.jpg)
![Adding flavor with herbs and spices makes food taste better, and adding spices to foods makes it easier to reduce added sugars, excess salt and saturated fats without reducing appeal. (Thinkstock)](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ThinkstockPhotos-497454523-1880x1254.jpg)
![This This Sept. 28, 2015, photo shows veggie oven hash in Concord, N.H. This recipe relies on a mix of roasted vegetables for a caramelized sweetness that feels roasty and homey. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/AP_292623201205-1880x1254.jpg)
![Food and restaurant consulting company Baum + Whiteman has proclaimed the spice of 2016 to be turmeric and predicts we'll be seeing much more of it on restaurant menus, from smoothie add-ins to savory dishes. (Getty Images)](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/ThinkstockPhotos-487127683-1880x1254.jpg)
![This Jan. 4, 2012 photo shows ginger root in Concord, N.H. Used quietly for years to add zip to everything from stir-fries to sushi, ginger also happens to be a key ingredient for the noodles and dumplings traditionally eaten for Chinese New Year, the two-week celebration of food and family that begins Jan. 23. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/ginger_AP-1191x1254.jpg)
![CARVER, MA - OCTOBER 22: Cranberries are harvested at Weston Cranberry Farm October 22, 2004 in Carver, Massachusetts. Most of the worlds cranberries are harvested on 37 thousand acres in five states, with Massachusetts being the leading producer. (Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images)](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/GettyImages-51540290-260x174.jpg)
![This Feb. 2, 2011 photo shows maple-garlic roasted parsnips in Concord, N.H. Maple syrup creates a deliciously sweet glaze in this recipe. If parsnips arent your thing, feel free to substitute carrots, beets or other root vegetables. (AP Photo/Larry Crowe)](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/AP_110202110109-260x174.jpg)
![Adding flavor with herbs and spices makes food taste better, and adding spices to foods makes it easier to reduce added sugars, excess salt and saturated fats without reducing appeal. (Thinkstock)](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ThinkstockPhotos-497454523-260x174.jpg)
![This This Sept. 28, 2015, photo shows veggie oven hash in Concord, N.H. This recipe relies on a mix of roasted vegetables for a caramelized sweetness that feels roasty and homey. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/AP_292623201205-260x174.jpg)
![Food and restaurant consulting company Baum + Whiteman has proclaimed the spice of 2016 to be turmeric and predicts we'll be seeing much more of it on restaurant menus, from smoothie add-ins to savory dishes. (Getty Images)](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/ThinkstockPhotos-487127683-260x174.jpg)
![This Jan. 4, 2012 photo shows ginger root in Concord, N.H. Used quietly for years to add zip to everything from stir-fries to sushi, ginger also happens to be a key ingredient for the noodles and dumplings traditionally eaten for Chinese New Year, the two-week celebration of food and family that begins Jan. 23. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/ginger_AP-260x174.jpg)
Enjoy this homemade (but easy-to-make) soup full of fall flavors:
Fall Vegetable Soup Italiano
Servings: 9
1 tablespoon olive oil 2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 large Spanish onion, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
4 cups broccoli florets
2 cups sliced zucchini
28-ounce canned Italian peeled tomatoes, low sodium
2 cups water
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
9 tablespoons fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or fresh Parmesan cheese
In large soup pot, saute garlic in olive oil for one minute. Add onion and saute for an additional three minutes.
Add remaining ingredients, except the cheese. Simmer for 45 minutes to one hour.
Discard bay leaf, and ladle soup into individual bowls.
Top with 1 tablespoon cheese.
Nutrition information per 1-cup serving: 105 calories; 4 g fat (1.5 g saturated); 5 mg cholesterol; 284 mg sodium.
More from U.S. News
6 Healthy Fall Ingredients — and How to Use Them originally appeared on usnews.com