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Winter isn’t a time of year known for healthy eating; we greet cream-based soups and heavy pastas with open arms and open mouths. Calories count less – or so we think – when swimsuit season is months away.
But, of course, eating fruits and vegetables isn’t just about fighting the battle of the bulge. They are multi-talented foods, filled with vitamins, minerals, and cancer fighting properties.
Unfortunately, the cold months see a shortage of this sweet sustenance – bare are the apple trees and gone are the grape vines. We’re at the mercy of the super market.
That doesn’t mean it’s impossible to find any fruits and veggies; some peak during this time. So, stock up on:
Cabbage: Cheap, healthy, and loaded with vitamins, fiber, and compounds that reduce cholesterol, this vegetable shines during the cold months. Grab the sled and take a trip to the cabbage patch.
Brussels Sprouts: Per the San Francisco Gate, Brussels sprouts are sprouting some intense antioxidants, compounds that protect DNA from damage. They’re full of folate, as well, and very low in calories: a cup has less than forty.
Winter Squash: When else would winter squash be in season, but winter? This veggie is full of carotenoids, Vitamin A, and potassium. It’s good for you (and gourd for you, too).
Turnips: Though they look more like potatoes, turnips are related to broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. As a result, they possess many of the same benefits of cruciferous veggies – glucosinolates, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, folate, potassium, calcium, and fiber.
Citrus Fruits: It’s summertime somewhere and that’s why you can get citrus fruit in the middle of a blizzard. These fruits peak between October and March and give us lower incidences of all kinds of maladies: Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease (to name a few).
Pomegranates: Pomegranates peak in early winter and offer consumers anti-inflammatory benefits. It’s a fruit particularly good for heart health: it decreases high cholesterol and high blood pressure, stabilizes congestive heart failure, and reduces fat deposits in the arteries.
Leafy greens: From kale to lettuce, greens are in season even when the great outdoors are rather brown. If you’re not a fan of the taste, throw the greens into a blender with your smoothie. Most people agree that kale tastes best when you can’t taste it at all.
The Importance of Eating Healthfully During Winter Months
Per Women’s Health, the average winter weight gain is 4.5 pounds. Part of this is the result of ditching the gym - there’s something about cold mornings that don’t scream, “five-mile run,” and instead whisper, “sleep in late and then eat pancakes.” But other things play a role, too – comfort foods, the holidays, and seasonal affective disorder.
Keeping seasonal fruits and veggies on hand won’t eliminate cravings for things like chocolate – we’re only human, after all – but it’ll help.
If Brussels sprouts here and a cabbage head there don’t tickle your palate, the Food Network has a great recipe for a winter fruit salad. Follow the link and enjoy.