5 Seasonal Foods to Eat in November in Switzerland

Nov 6, 2022

3 min read

Updated: Oct 14

What should you eat in November? These 5 seasonal foods, pumpkin, beetroot, parsnip, plum and purslane, are at their best right now in Switzerland. Here's what they bring to your plate and how to cook them, with notes from nutritionist Aurelia Corbaz.

Pumpkin

Part of the Cucurbitaceae family, pumpkins and squashes are in full season in autumn. Pumpkin, red kuri, butternut: all these varieties contain carotenoids, the natural plant pigments behind their colour.

4 things to know:

Rich in beta-carotene, better known as provitamin A. This natural pigment gives pumpkins their pretty orange colour and is an antioxidant.
Pumpkins contain minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium, a welcome addition to your plate on colder, shorter days.
The flesh contains soluble fibre, which is gentle on the gut. Fibre is part of a varied, balanced diet and feeds the bacteria of the gut microbiota.
Pumpkin seeds are a good source of protein and contain vitamin E and linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid we need to get from food.

In the kitchen: great in soups, broths, gratins and purées. Cook it in a pan, in boiling water or in the oven, in savoury or sweet dishes. You can even add it to smoothies or pair it with kombucha.

Beetroot

Red or yellow, cooked or raw, beetroot has plenty going for it. Here are four things to know:

Its deep red colour comes from betalains, antioxidant pigments mainly found in the root, which researchers are studying with interest.
It contains specific antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin, which are naturally present in the eye.
It's rich in nitrates, which is why beetroot juice is popular with athletes. Research on this is ongoing.
It's a good source of vitamin B9 (folate).

In the kitchen: raw or cooked, grated into salads, in hummus, risotto, sauces, juices and smoothies. Our Beetroot & Ginger tibicos is another tasty way to enjoy it.

Parsnip

A cousin of the carrot, the parsnip is a root vegetable with a sweet, comforting flavour, just what we crave in autumn. Here's what it brings:

It's rich in water and fibre, which helps you feel full.
With around 500 mg of potassium per 100 g, parsnips are a good source of this mineral.
They're a good source of magnesium, involved in over 300 biological reactions in the body, such as energy production.
Like beetroot, parsnips provide vitamin B9 (folate).

In the kitchen: raw or cooked, grated like carrots in salads, in kimchi, sauces, crisps and soups, or roasted in the oven with a little maple syrup.

Plum

This small, very sweet fruit is full of good things:

It's rich in water and contains both soluble and insoluble fibre.
It's a good source of potassium.
Its gently "laxative" reputation is well known, especially for dried plums (prunes).
It contains phenolic compounds, natural antioxidants that researchers are studying for their interactions with the gut microbiota.

In the kitchen: raw or cooked, in jam, desserts and pastries, sauces, or alongside a savoury dish. Have you tried our Plum tibicos yet?

Purslane

This wild plant is easy to spot thanks to its short, oval, fleshy leaves on firm red stems. It's a lovely autumn green to add raw to your salads:

Purslane is known for its plant fats, in particular alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid that is essential, meaning we need to get it from food.
This succulent also contains vitamin C, beta-carotene, vitamin E, potassium, magnesium and calcium.