Winter’s Bounty: Seasonal Vegetables and Fruits to Enjoy During the Colder Months

As we wait for the arrival of summer’s juicy tomatoes and sweet berries, winter brings its own delicious bounty of seasonal vegetables and fruits. Meghan Sedivy, RD, a dietitian for Fresh Thyme Farmers Market in Plainfield, Illinois, highlights the benefits of winter produce such as root vegetables and citrus fruits.

Root vegetables like beets, potatoes, and rutabagas are rich in potassium, while citrus fruits like blood oranges, white grapefruit, and autumn honey tangerines offer fiber and vitamin C to boost immunity during the cold season. Sedivy suggests incorporating these vegetables into soups and stews as a way to increase your daily vegetable intake. Making homemade soups allows for control over sodium, calories, and fat content.

Additionally, Sedivy recommends indulging in warm teas, which provide antioxidants that can support cognitive health and prevent inflammatory diseases. Different types of tea offer varying antioxidants, so it’s beneficial to switch up your tea selection.

During winter, it’s important to focus on consuming foods rich in vitamin D, as limited sun exposure can lead to deficiency. Vitamin D plays a pivotal role in calcium absorption, brain function, and immune health. While foods like salmon, tuna, and fortified milk and cereals are good sources of vitamin D, supplements may be necessary to reach optimum levels. Sedivy suggests taking vitamin D supplements with a healthy fat like avocado for better absorption.

With winter’s array of seasonal produce and fruits, there are plenty of options to nourish the body and support overall health during the colder months.