During the winter many people tend to forget about wellness. The winter season can be a time where, perhaps it’s easy to make excuses not to be as active or eat healthily. Maybe it’s the cold mornings, dark evenings and all the festivities that take prioritisation; regardless of the reason, it’s a fact that there is an uplift for illness, weight gain and low mood during this time. However, it’s also been proven that being prepared and taking control of your diet can massively benefit your health, and energy levels to become more active. One way of taking back control of your diet and mood, is adding winter fruits to your meal plan.
Why are fruits good for your health during the colder months
You might not find yourself naturally reaching for the fruit bowl this time of year, however, by forming more attentional habits and eating fruit during the winter period, it could massively help boost your mood, immune system and support a healthy weight.
Winter fruits are loaded in vital vitamins and minerals, giving you an energy boost this winter.
Nutritional benefits of frozen winter fruits
Typically frozen fruit will keep its nutritional benefits, should you ensure you follow the correct process.
The health benefits in fruit are at their peak immediately once harvested or picked during their seasonal period. It’s important to freeze the fruit straight away, to retain as much nutrients from the produce. Also ensure that you only defrost what you need, re-freezing the fruit will lose nutrients.
The best way to enjoy frozen fruit is to avoid defrosting all together, and add them already frozen to your dishes, salads and smoothies, for the ultimate health kick.
Here are 9 in season winter fruits:
Grape Fruit
This seasonal fruit ripens in January and are packed with Vitamin C to help fight any viruses and boost your immune system. Because of its high vitamin, fibre and antioxidant properties, it makes grape fruit one of the healthiest fruits.
Benefits: Grapefruit is a low calorie fruit, while boosting your immune system, it can also help promote a healthy heart and control weight loss.
When is it ready to eat: check your grapefruit is firm all the way around, the fruit will be thin, smooth and slightly red in colour.
Pomegranates
Pomegranates are an excellent way to get the nutrients you need to stay healthy. They are rich in vitamin C, K, E, antioxidants, and will help digestion by reducing inflammation in the gut and improve overall gut health.
You can include pomegranates to your diet by adding them to a salad, smoothie, baked goods and for snacking.
A ripe pomegranate will be smoothie and firm to touch.
Oranges
Oranges are loaded with many essential vitamins and minerals. While oranges are widely known for their immune boosting effects, they are also excellent for your skin. They help your body produce more collagen, which is a protein that helps your skin repair and slow down the ageing process!
Typically they are in season from October – March, and once they feel firm, smooth and a thin textured skin, they are perfect to eat.
Kiwi
Kiwis are fall and early winter fruits, they tend to be harvested during the first frost.
Kiwis are known for their high dose of vitamin C, They help promote healthy skin, digestion, weight loss, and potentially slow down the ageing process.
You can check that your kiwi is ripe by gently applying pressure to the skin, if it gives a little then it’s at its best nutritional value.
Kumquats
Kumquats are loved by many, their low sugar, high fibre and high amounts of vitamin C is overall excellent for health. These amazing health benefits make them perfect winter fruits.
In Chinese, kumquats means ‘Golden Orange’, they are not much bigger than a grape, but they are bursting with flavour and aroma. They are great for snacking, and can support weight control with their high fibre and water content to keep you fuller for longer.
Kumquats are in season from November to March, they are firm, and the brighter the colour, the better.
Lemons
Most people don’t associate lemons as winter fruits, but in fact, lemons are seasonal November – April. Lemons are fantastic for their high vitamin C content, detoxing properties, healthy skin and weight loss.
Lemons lose their green colour as they ripen, they will be firm in appearance, feel strong to touch, have bright and glossy skin.
Pears
It’s important to remember that there are summer and winter pears. Pears help promote gut health, contain anti-inflammatory properties, and slow down the process of the skin ageing.
Pears ripen from the inside out, it can be difficult to judge whether a pear is ready. Apply gentle pressure to the skin near the stem, and if it gives a little then it’s more than likely ready.
If you don’t catch your pears in time, overripe pears are excellent for baked goods and smoothies.
Persimmons
Persimmons are known for their sweet, honey-like taste. They are commonly used in baking, smoothies and can be found in most large supermarkets.
Although they are small, they are packed with essential vitamins and loaded with fibre, making them great for weight loss. Persimmons contain antioxidants to help prevent cell damage, may benefit heart health, reduce inflammation and promotes eye health.
If the skin is wrinkled or feels dry, this could be a sign that your fruit is past ripe and shouldn’t be eaten, but if your fruit is shiny, firm, with a little give, it’s likely to be at its nutritional peak.
Cranberries
High in antioxidants and nutrients, cranberries help gut health, prevent urinary infections, promote heart and liver health. They can be used in all sorts of cooking, deserts, juices, and as a natural sweetener or cranberry sauce.
Cranberries are at their best during the winter months, you know when they are ripe when they are bright red in colour, and are firm in texture.
Why not start improving your diet before winter with these healthy fall fruits.