Keep healthy this winter by including plenty of these 5 foods in your diet.

Although there are fewer foods that are in season in winter than in summer, winter boasts some surprising health superstars. Here are 5 of the healthiest winter foods you should be eating

1. Pomegranates

Chances are you’ve tasted pomegranates in their newly popular juice form. And from a heart-health perspective, that’s probably a good thing. Pomegranate juice is rich in antioxidants andjust 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. Oxidized LDL contributes to plaque buildup in the arteries. Another study 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

Dark leafy greens, such as kale, chard and collards, thrive in the chill of winter when the rest of the produce section looks bleak. In fact, a frost can take away the bitterness of kale. These greens are particularly 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

Citrus fruits, including 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.C
itrus fruits are also rich sources of flavonoids. The predominant flavonoid in these fruits—hesperidin—is credited with boosting “good” HDL cholesterol and lowering “bad” LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.

 

 

4. Potatoes

Potatoes sometimes get a bad rap for being a white starch, thrown into the same category as white rice or white bread. But unlike those other starches, which have indeed been stripped of healthful nutrients, potatoes are a whole food that contain 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). If you can find purple potatoes, you’ll get an added health boon—they are rich in anthocyanins—antioxidants that are linked to a host of health benefits, from lowering cancer and heart disease risk to quelling inflammation.

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.

Guava


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Guava belongs to the myrtle family. It is a tropical fruit and easily available in the market. Its health benefits and nutrition facts makes it an inexpensive fruit, but highly rich in nutrients. The most common type of Guava is the Apple Guava which is grown in many tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. Guava is a culinary dream and is used in form of sauces, juices, candies, snacks and deserts.

Guava is a high energy fruit which is a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals. It has a healthy composition of dietary fiber which is essential for the body and can be derived only from food sources.

Guava is low in calories and fats but carry several vital vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, that play a pivotal role in the prevention of cancers, aging, and infections.

The fruit is a very good source of Vitamin-A, and flavonoids.The compounds are known to have antioxidant properties and therefore essential for optimum health. Further, vitamin-A is also required for maintaining healthy mucus and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in carotene is known to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.


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Passion Fruit

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The high amount of soluble fiber along with water content present in passion fruit also helps to increase the bulk of stools and also facilitate digestion by providing enzymes the optimal fluid medium required to perform at their best.
A blood pressure regulator
Some things that causes increase in blood pressure are clogged blood vessels due to saturated fats and cholesterol, and increased levels of sodium within blood. However, passion fruit has little to no cholesterol and sodium. This fruit packs a good supply of potassium that is essential for regulating proper muscular contractions of the heart muscles thus promoting better cardiac health.
Easy breathing
The nutrients present in the passion fruit’s peel , and are responsible for its purple color, are also known for significantly reducing the symptoms commonly experienced by asthma patients. The chemicals possess strong anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties that also help to counter other allergic responses.
A cure to common infections
Along with Vitamin A and C, passion fruit is also helps to significantly enhance the functionality of our immune system. These chemicals increase the body’s effectiveness while fighting against common infections such as a cold or flu.

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Magnesium Rich Fruits and Vegetables for a Healthy Body

Magnesium is an essential mineral required by the body for maintaining muscle tone and nerve function, keeping a healthy immune system, maintaining heart rhythm, and building strong bones. Magnesium is also involved in at least 300 biochemical reactions in the body. A deficiency in magnesium can lead to muscle spasms, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety disorders, migraines, osteoporosis, and cerebral infarction. However, consuming too much magnesium typically causes diarrhea as the body attempts to excrete the excess. High magnesium fruits and vegetables include bananas, acai berries, avocados, beans and nuts, figs etc.

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Fruits & Vegetables to Strengthen Your Bones and Teeth

Did you know higher intakes of fruits and vegetables can lead to better bone health? They contain certain nutrients that are beneficial for bones.  
   Many people think of dairy product as the best foods for the development of bones and teeth. Calcium is frequently associated with healthy skeletal and teeth health. However, calcium is needed by the body for much more and calcium deficiency can cause more problems than weak bones and teeth. But, dairy products it is not the only source of this important mineral, these fruits are rich in calcium:
Oranges and Tangerines, Dried Apricots, Kiwi, Dates, Dried Figs, Mulberries and
Kumquats. Fruits and vegetables may provide you calcium as well as other nutrient for maintaining strong bones. Certain researchers proves that a diet high in fruits and vegetables will make the body less acidic which help to maintain better bone health. If you eat a healthful diet rich in fruits and vegetables, you will get enough essential nutrients for strong bones and teeth.
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Grapes - The World's Healthiest Fruits

Grapes contains special components that gives to them name of "super food" which guards and keeps your healthy tonus.
Grapes are one of the most popular and delicious fruits. They are rich in vitamins A, C, B6 and folate in addition to essential minerals like potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium and selenium. They also contain flavonoids that are very powerful antioxidants to reduce the risk of cancer. Other health benefits of grapes are: they have the ability to treat, fatigue, kidney disorders, digestive issues and the prevention of cataracts. They can reduce the bad effects of free radicals and slow down aging. So, they play an important role in ensuring a healthy and active life.
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Figs are a great source of fiber and full of vitamins and minerals, provide a wide assortment of nutritional and health benefits that are good for your body.

The health benefits of figs come from the presence of minerals, vitamins and fiber contained in the fruit. Figs contain a wealth of beneficial nutrients, including vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, calcium, iron, phosphorus, manganese, sodium, potassium and chlorine. Because of these nutrients figs can reduce the risk for heart disease and cancer by preventing cell damage by dangerous free radicals. Its fiber lowers your risk for high cholesterol, heart disease and constipation. The fiber in figs may also help you lose weight since it makes figs more filling, helping you eat fewer calories.

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