Orange you glad it's October?

It's that time of year.

Leaves are changing colour. Winter coats and hats are slowly coming out. The slow cooker is becoming a centerpiece on your counter.

Pumpkin Spice Latte's are here.

There may be a reason why we all crave these things as our hibernation setting kicks in.

Our bodies are gearing up for a long, hard winter and these foods help us prepare for it.

Pumpkins are an excellent example of that. Chock full of an amazing nutrient called carotenoids, this compound gives produce it's wonderful orange colour.

Orange foods are great for a number of things, primarily though as a source of beta-carotene.

Beta carotene is great for the eyes (especially for night vision!), great for the skin.

It can be broken down into vitamin A which is great for eyes, skin and the immune system.

With cold dry air and flu season here, those are essential to keep you strong and healthy.

Not only that, the complex carbohydrate means you get a slow steady release of energy for shoveling that driveway or skiing the day away.

Don't stop at just eating pumpkin soup and muffins though.

Pumpkin seeds are proving to be just as great.

High in fiber, polyunsaturated fat, vitamin E, antioxidents, magnesium and calcium, just to name a few.

These tiny powerhouses deserve some respect.