Winter is coming! And although it means that there will be fewer foods in this season, Eating Well lists down the five foods to boost your health during the winter time:
1. Pomegranates
"Pomegranate juice is rich in antioxidants (more so than other fruit juices)-just a cup daily might help to keep free radicals from oxidizing "bad" LDL cholesterol, according to a preliminary study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." There also have been a number of studies that showed that drinking pomegranate juice might improve blood flow to the heart in people with myocardial ischemia, a serious condition in which the heart's oxygen supply is compromised because the arteries leading to it are blocked.
2. Dark Leafy Greens
Kale, chard and collards, actually flourish during winter - even taking away the bitterness of kale! These leafy greens are rich in vitamins A, C and K. "Collards, mustard greens and escarole are also excellent sources of folate, important for women of childbearing age."
3. Citrus
"Lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruit, are at their juiciest in the wintertime and can add sunshine to the dreary winter. Citrus fruits are loaded with vitamin C-one medium orange delivers more than 100 percent of your daily dose."
4. Potatoes
"Potatoes are a whole food that contains several beneficial nutrients. They are an excellent source of two immunity boosters-vitamins C and B6, delivering 25% and 29% of your daily needs per medium potato, respectively. They are also a good source of folate, which is especially important for women of childbearing age, and they deliver fiber (4 grams in a medium potato; women need 25 grams daily and men need 38 grams)."
Purple potatoes are also rich in antioxidants called anthocyanins-that are reported to lower cancer and heart disease risk.
5. Winter Squash
"There are many varieties of winter squash-including butternut, acorn, delicata and spaghetti squash-and they are all excellent choices in the winter. One cup of cooked winter squash has few calories (around 80) but is high in both vitamin A (214 percent of the recommended daily value) and vitamin C (33 percent), as well as being a good source of vitamins B6 and K, potassium and folate."
