During the cold winter times, many people find it hard to live as healthy as they are on summer. Many find it hard to push themselves to do exercises or to just fill themselves with the right nutrition. What’s more is that some of the really healthy foods you can easily have in summer, is hard to come by in winter – they may just be so expensive or are just unavailable. But don’t be unhealthy – in fact, you can still maintain your health during winter, and you can still have the best foods there is. Here a few of the healthiest winter foods:
WINTER SQUASH
This is a really healthy food for the cold winter months. These low calorie foods are packed with fibers, vitamin B, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, and other good stuff. Take baked acorn squash for a tasty example. It contains fewer than 120 calories, 9 grams of dietary fiber, 20% RDA of vitamin B1 and B6, 21% RDA of folate, more than 30% of magnesium, and 37% of vitamin C.
Try butternut squash, too, and you’ll get only 82 calories per serving, more than 5 grams of dietary fiber, 22% RDA of folic acid, a whopping 175% RDA of vitamin A, and more than 50% of your daily vitamin C needs. Talk about eye health, butternut squash is pretty intense.
Although there are those who like eating squash with more than a dash of sweetening and butter, you don’t have to do it like that. It is better if you can train yourself to like the taste of squash with minimal garnishing of butter or brown sugar.
CITRUS
Citrus fruits may often be depicted on a beach side on a summer day. But what many don’t realize is that citrus fruits are at their best on the winter. Oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruits tend to be very juicy and delicious during this time, and they will provide you with tons of health benefits from vitamin C! In fact, a large orange can provide you more than 100% of your RDA. Besides vitamin C, citrus fruits are also rich in flavonoids that helps to lessen triglycerides and lower LDL, stuff that may be responsible for cardiovascular disease.
Enjoy citrus fruits fresh, added to smoothies, or juiced.
CRANBERRIES
Cranberries on winter? Oh yeah, you read it right. This bitter but very healthy fruit isn’t just for sauces and chutneys, but you may also turn them into juice or smoothies, or you may also eat them raw. Do you want food that are low in calories, high in dietary fibers, vitamin C, and tons of phytochemicals? Then try adding cranberries to your winter diet – add them to breads, salads, juices, smoothies, muffins, and sauces. Don’t put too much though, because like we said, this fruit is bitter.
POMEGRANATE
Pomegranates are mostly found during winter, and nature knows when to give the best food for the right time. This yummy treat provides a healthy dose of antioxidants. They are also found to keep your arteries free from the dreaded plaque.
You may enjoy pomegranate seeds without anything else, add them to salads, add them to smoothies or juices, or you may cook with them. Do you want to get fresh pomegranate juice but don’t have any special equipments? Don’t worry. You can do it easily – firmly roll a pomegranate on a table or any stable and hard surface. You will hear cracking sounds which means the seeds are opening up to let their juice out. Roll it further until you can’t hear any cracking – then you can poke a small hole on its skin and you are ready to squeeze the goodies out.
One thing to note is that the white membrane of pomegranates are bitter, so make sure you only get the seeds into your juice or smoothies.
Do you find it hard or cumbersome to get your own juice? Then just buy pomegranate juices from stores. Just make sure to get natural ones.
DARK AND LEAFY VEGGIES
Although these greens are particularly popular during the summer time, one should not forget them on winter. The cold weather brings about colds and flu, and vegetables may help prevent them. Mustard greens, collard, kale, and chard are great winter foods. In fact, eating kale during the cold months may help you get over its bitter taste. But even if it is bitter, wouldn’t you want to eat a vegetable that contains folate, vitamin C, magnesium, beta-carotene, and a lot of other essential nutrients?
These greens are very well suited for winter, and you should get your daily dose of these veggies.
OTHER WINTER FOODS
The foods listed above are not the only winter foods – there are many others like potatoes (contain vitamins B6 and C, and folate), beans and lentils (contain a lot of fibers and proteins), fatty fish and nuts (contain Omega-3 to keep your heart healthy), and turkey and lean red meat (protein and fats).