Winter fruits

Healthy snacking is essential for health and vitality. Fruits can be a tasty and nutritious snack food. And with winter setting in, one can grab some really delicious and healthy winter fruits. Which are these seasonal fruits of winter that you should lay your hands on?

Healthy snacking and fruits

One should never skip their daily major meals of the day. These are breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Snacking in between is optional. But if you feel like snacking, opt for healthy snacks. Avoid those that are rich in salts, sugar or saturated fats.

Fruits are healthy options that can serve as a snacks food too. A number of nutrient dense fruits grow globally. These colorful food items are bursting with energy, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. Moreover, these contain phytochemicals such as antioxidants which greatly help the body.

And this winter, there is going to be a rich array of fresh winter fruits. These seasonal fruits are a must to eat and enjoy!

Healthy winter fruits

Winter fruits
Persimmon (Source: Martha Stewart)

The list of healthy winter fruits include:

Persimmons

This fruit is originally from China. But now, it is grown in several countries of the world including the USA. California too has a small harvest every year. One fruit of persimmon provides 31 calories. It has lots of vitamin C and is good for protection against colds and flus. Ripe fruits are sweet with jelly like consistency.

Pears

There are several varieties of pears that are available in the market. Some of these are available throughout the year. But there are a few varieties that you can get only in winter months of the year. One medium sized pear has 5.5 grams of dietary fiber. These are good for heart and also the gut.

Cranberries

Winter fruits
Cranberries (Source: Britannica)

It is a perfect holiday fruit. It is available only in winter. Some studies have found that cranberries and cranberry juice holds promise in prevention of urinary tract infections in women.

Oranges

Oranges, clementines, and tangerines are the best and the sweetest in winter. Rich in vitamin C, they boost immunity. Moreover, it has the flavonoid called hesperidin. This possesses anti-inflammatory properties and can lower blood pressure.

Grapefruit

Winter fruits
Grapefruit (Source: Medical news today)

This has a sweet and tangy taste. Most production of this fruit is in Florida. But California and Texas also harvests them. One can have it raw with or without sugar. But you can also grill it, boil it, or juice it.

Pomegranate

It needs a warm and dry climate that is found in California. 90 percent of the produce in the USA is from California. It is sweet and contains a lot of antioxidants. This content is even higher than that found in green tea or red wine. It has the potential to lower the bad cholesterol in the blood.

Also, read Fruits and the best time of the day to consume them!

Enjoy these fruits. But continue to consume the other fruits that are available perennially. One should also have vegetables. There should be 5 helpings of fruits and vegetables in a day. And one should have 30 different fruits and vegetables in a week.