For most people, robust health seems to be a grandmother’s tale — narrated, but never seen or experienced. To enjoy robust health in winter seems even more farfetched. Though it sounds not so credible, eating the right mixture of winter fruits goes a long way towards ensuring robust health. Nature provides you with all the necessary ammunition to combat health challenges in winter without compromising on taste.
If you have been harboring illusions that only very expensive, and difficult to source fruits are available in winter; dispel them now. Papaya or papita is not just pocket friendly; it is available throughout the year without losing anything of its nutritional and medicinal value. Not only is it great for the digestion since it secretes papain — a much needed digestive enzyme; it improves your eyesight due to the presence of Vitamin A. Further, it lowers cholesterol as it is rich in Vitamin C, fibers, and antioxidants; thereby protecting your heart. What’s more, papayas are great for reducing arthritic and menstrual pains because of their anti-inflammatory properties.
Since it is 80 percent water, eating it a little while before a major meal, or on an empty stomach at breakfast, helps you lose weight without losing on nutritional value. It eases bowel movements, ensuring you have a clear, glowing skin since most toxins get eliminated.
Apples and pomegranates are considered superfoods. They become plentiful after September/ October. Both are beneficial in so many ways that they help to restore good health to people recovering from a major ailment, especially as they strengthen the digestive system. They are excellent for boosting natural strength by increasing the blood in the body as they are nutrient rich. Apples help you lose weight while lowering cardiac and diabetes risk. Other things being equal, eating apples regularly could help reduce the risk of developing cancer due to the presence of phytonutrients and antioxidants in them.
Pomegranates are very rich in iron, thereby helping you fight anemia, and protect you against heart disease and cancer, and your brain from memory loss. They are also rich in antioxidants, polyphenols, and conjugated linolenic acid — all of which help you burn fat as they suppress appetite, and boost your metabolism. Unless you have diarrhea, don’t have it on an empty stomach as the iron in pomegranates could cause constipation.
Citrus fruits are abundant in winter, which is nature’s way of protecting you. The best way to counter some of the winter’s worst effects is to dig into the various kinds of citrus fruits like amla (Indian gooseberry), figs, hog plum (jungle aloo Bukhara or Amra), oranges, grapefruits, clementines, blood oranges, olives, kiwi fruit, kumquats, grapes — green, red, and purple, star fruit (Karanga), regular lemons, and mausambi (sweet limes). Their sweet and sour taste transform them into delectable snacks, smoothies, and shakes. Eat them raw, put them into pickles and marmalades, or serve as a garnish on dishes. The pectin in their fibers helps flush out cholesterol from your system by binding it. Flavonoids found in them lower the risk of stroke. They also help in rehydrating your body.
Citrus fruits are naturally rich in Vitamin C, B vitamins, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, copper, fibers, and antioxidants. Vitamin C not only clears your body of free radicals but also has anti-inflammatory properties. Citrus fruits like grapefruit and various varieties of oranges are excellent for your skin, though you never thought of it. The high concentration of vitamin C in them stimulates collagen production and helps your retain elasticity making you look younger. Vitamin C fights infections and helps the body eliminate harmful bacteria.
Folic acid, a type of vitamin B that can aid in preventing kidney disease by enabling the body filter blood, remove waste, and regulate the balance of electrolytes. By increasing citrate levels, lemonade and orangeade prevent the formation of kidney stones.
In India, eating dates raw, boiling them in milk, using them as garnishes, and adding them to various kinds of chutneys is common enough. Its dense nutritive content makes dates the perfect snack or additive to food for everyone in winter when the body demands more food. They warm you up, raise your energy levels as they are carbohydrate-rich, and contain a variety of nutrients including vitamins, minerals, fibers, and antioxidants to enable you to fight illness, improve memory, and strengthen brain health by delaying dementia. They promote bone health, help control blood sugar levels, and ensure a healthier pregnancy and smoother delivery.
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Takeaway:
Winter fruits are common enough and relatively easy on the pocket. So, adding fruits to your daily diet is desirable to improve the quality of you and your loved ones’ health.