Ten of the healthiest fruits and vegetables.
1:592 1:601What foods should you eat in winter to get vitamins?
1:709Winter is a period of cold weather, snow and vitamin deficiency. Laziness, apathy, lethargy, bad skin and hair - all this is due to a lack of vitamins.
1:946 1:955Most people immediately associate the word “vitamins” with a pharmacy. Because at the slightest ailment, people run to pharmacists. But what if necessary complex Can you get vitamins just by eating certain foods? It's much easier and more pleasant than swallowing medications. After all, when the body lacks something, the first thing it suffers is appearance human: hair becomes dull, nails break, complexion deteriorates, teeth crumble and much more. If you don’t replenish the vitamin deficiency in time, it won’t lead to anything good.
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Persimmon
2:540The orange color of its flesh indicates a large amount of beta-carotene. This substance, a derivative of vitamin A, strengthens vision and stimulates the renewal of cells in the lungs and bronchi.
2:860Helps relieve cough milkshake with persimmons (beat half a liter of milk with two peeled ripe fruits in a blender).
2:1102Persimmons also contain a lot of nicotinic acid (vitamin PP), which helps fight fatigue and is involved in the production of the hormone serotonin - our natural antidepressant.
2:1430But the main feature of persimmons is vegetable sugars, which are good for the heart and do not harm the figure. Scientists from the University of Munich have found that persimmon helps normalize blood pressure in the early stages of hypertension without the use of medications.
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Apples
3:646On a cold morning, the body will wake up faster if you drink tea infused with Antonovka slices. When baked, apples improve stomach function. Apple juice stimulates metabolism.
3:983Sweet and sour green apples contain a lot of iron. This trace element is very important for the blood, fights fatigue and anemia
3:1226The seeds of “winter” apples, for example, Antonovka, contain a lot of iodine: 5-6 apple seeds cover daily requirement. Iodine helps overcome increased sensitivity to cold.
3:1558Antonovka has been used for a long time as a remedy for winter vitamin deficiency: by spring it retains up to 90% of vitamin C, while in other fruits its content drops to 40-30%!
3:327You need to eat 2 large apples or 3-4 smaller ones a day.
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Pomegranate
4:969Eating one pomegranate or drinking a glass of pomegranate juice a day is a great way to “cleanse” the blood after colds and flu. It contains enzymes that help produce red blood cells - red blood cells.
4:1391Pomegranate contains four essential vitamins: C - strengthens the immune system, P - blood vessels, B6 - nervous system, and B12 improves blood count.
4:1622Pomegranate astringents help relieve painful coughs due to bronchitis, and also stimulate the pancreas. But with increased acidity of the stomach, pomegranate juice in pure form contraindicated - it is better to dilute it with carrots.
4:463But heart patients should not drink this juice in concentrated form - it increases blood clotting and can cause harm if they are prone to thrombosis.
4:740You can eat one ripe pomegranate or drink a glass of pomegranate juice a day.
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Citrus
5:1436Grapefruit juice helps to gently lower blood pressure. For hypertension, it is recommended to take 1/4 cup of grapefruit juice 20-30 minutes before meals. This fruit also contains the substance bromelain, which enhances lipid metabolism, in other words, helps “burn” fats.
5:1962Orange juice reduces cholesterol levels in the body.
5:109Are you suffocating on the subway? Buy a bottle of grapefruit essential oil at the pharmacy - it relieves attacks of lightheadedness and dizziness.
5:340Oranges, tangerines and grapefruits contain: beta-carotene or vitamin A, important for skin and digestion, B6, which fights derpesia, ascorbic acid, and also a lot of folic acid, important for hormonal metabolism.
5:743Immunologists advise in winter to eat half a grapefruit or two oranges a day to prevent colds.
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Cranberry
6:20Scientists call it the “snow queen” of berries. Of course: if it is hit by frost, the amount of vitamin C in the marsh berry only increases!
6:291So when frozen, it does not lose any of its beneficial properties.
6:421Cranberries contain acids that act as real antibiotics. Cranberry juice helps fight kidney inflammation and recover faster from the flu and ARVI.
6:754Cranberry juice is useful for preventing the formation of kidney stones. And pickled cranberries ease fever and quickly relieve fever. So be sure to keep a bag of frozen cranberries in the refrigerator in case of winter colds.
6:1174In addition to ascorbic acid, it contains a lot of potassium, important for the heart, vitamin H, necessary for immunity, and phosphorus, which gives muscle tone and strength to bones and teeth.
6:1461It is advisable to drink half a liter of cranberry juice a day, made from
6:1601a couple of glasses of fresh or frozen cranberries.
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Sauerkraut
7:657Cabbage pickled for 2-3 days, which is most often sold in stores, is not very healthy. But real sauerkraut contains the most vitamin C and antioxidants among winter preparations. It is better to eat sauerkraut no earlier than 10 days after pickling (during this time, harmful compounds - nitrites - disintegrate in it). Sauerkraut contains more vitamin C than fresh cabbage!
7:1362Scientists also call white cabbage a “minus-calorie” product. This means that the body spends more energy on its processing than it receives calories from it!
7:1682Also, cabbage (both regular cabbage and broccoli) contains a lot of unique vitamin K, which helps our immune system protect against cancer. But this vitamin is fat-soluble, that is, it is absorbed by the body only with fats. So it’s best to season cabbage salad with vegetable oil.
7:533To get your daily requirement of vitamin K, you need to eat about 250 grams of fresh or sauerkraut per day.
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Pumpkin
8:1280Its freshly squeezed juice is good for metabolic disorders and diabetes. A glass of juice drunk on an empty stomach will help get rid of cardiac or renal edema. Pumpkin contains a lot of zinc salts, and they increase male potency(so treat your beloved to pumpkin pancakes more often). Vitamin E smoothes and moisturizes the skin.
8:1869Pumpkin seeds are a recognized choleretic agent. Helps the liver if you overeat or drink too much. In addition, pumpkin pulp contains a lot of vitamin D, which is especially valuable during short daylight hours. It is needed for the strength of bones and teeth and is produced by the body only under the influence of sunlight.
8:542Eat up to 250 grams of pumpkin pulp per day or drink 2 glasses of pumpkin juice.
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Tomatoes and tomato juice
9:1265Best source of the antioxidant lycopene. Moreover, it is better absorbed not from fresh fruits, but from stewed, baked, and also from tomato paste. The daily preventive dose of lycopene is 10-15 mg. It can be obtained from: 200 g of tomatoes per own juice, 2 glasses of tomato juice, or 3-4 tablespoons of natural tomato sauce.
9:1875Tomatoes in all types are very rich in potassium, and this is good for heart patients (the daily requirement of potassium is contained in a glass of tomato juice).
9:245Tomato juice gently reduces blood and intracranial pressure; it is useful to drink for hypertension and glaucoma.
9:452But tomatoes have a lot of fiber and acids. That's why you shouldn't eat a lot tomato dishes for gastritis with high acidity and inflammation of the gallbladder.
9:737Drink a glass of tomato juice a day or eat two or three tomatoes in their own juice.
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Radish
10:1441Our natural “antibiotic” - it is rich in antimicrobial substances. The bitterness contained in it has an anti-sclerotic effect, that is, it participates in the breakdown of “bad” cholesterol. Radish is well stored and holds the title of champion among vegetables in terms of preserving vitamin C during the winter. It also has diuretic properties, which is useful for vascular edema and high blood pressure.
10:2173Grated radish with honey is one of best recipes From cough. A green radish (daikon) salad with sunflower oil and carrots.
10:346But due to its bitterness, radish is contraindicated for inflammation of the stomach, pancreas and kidney stones.
10:528To support immunity during the vitamin deficiency season, it is enough to eat 150 grams of radish salad per day or take two tablespoons of radish juice with honey.
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Green pea
11:1379In addition to magnesium, zinc, proteins (by the way, it contains more of them than potatoes), nicotinic acid PP, which is important for heart function, green peas contain a lot of two important B vitamins.
11:1702B1 (thiamine) strengthens the nervous system and is involved in the production of the stress hormone - adrenaline.
11:169B2 (riboflavin) supplies cells with energy. This is important for maintaining normal thermoregulation, including our response to cold. Its lack causes chilliness and a feeling of lack of air.
11:512These vitamins are lost during long-term storage, but are preserved during preservation. So if you are cold and come home from work with nerves, open a jar of your favorite peas from Soviet times and have a glass. This is where your soul gets warmer.
11:928 11:937Ten foods you shouldn't eat in winter
11:1029 11:1040During the winter holidays, we all finally allow ourselves to relax and eat to our heart's content, and that is why, after the holidays are over, we want to cleanse our body by including in our diet foods that we think are just right for the winter period. But, according to experts, many of these products are not only a waste of money, but also a complete lack of benefit and even harm - after all, many out-of-season products can cause a decrease in immunity and colds.
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Dairy
12:563Milk, cottage cheese and yogurt are not the best option for winter food. Firstly, in winter, a larger amount of so-called reconstituted milk is supplied to the shelves, which contains the minimum amount of nutrients necessary for the body. And secondly, according to Eastern medicine, many dairy products have a cooling effect, which means they can aggravate a number of classic winter diseases: sore throats, bronchitis, inflammation of internal organs.
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Salmon
13:29Oddly enough, it’s better to forget about salmon until the end of winter. Its fishing is allowed from February to August, which means that all the fish that is sold the rest of the time under the guise of wild salmon comes to market counters smuggled and caught from an unknown location. Of course, this does not apply to salmon grown on fish farms - you can buy it all year round.
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Tomatoes
14:1238In January, bright and elastic tomatoes, although they seem outwardly appetizing and juicy, are unlikely to taste the same. In addition, there are negligible amounts of vitamins in winter tomatoes. So save your money and use homemade tomato juice or canned tomatoes as an alternative - you can eat them plain or make sauces and gravies based on them.
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Peaches
15:544It is tempting to buy a couple of peaches to treat yourself or your loved ones. But don’t rush to do this: since winter is not the season for these fruits, they may well turn out to be tasteless and crumbly. So it’s better to wait until summer, and in the meantime, buy winter apples - they are affordable, tasty and very healthy.
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Strawberry
16:33If you see strawberries at the market or in a store in winter, then with almost one hundred percent probability they came to us from afar, for example, from Israel. However, soft berries spoil very quickly and can become wrinkled during transportation, so there is a risk that under beautiful and apparently intact strawberries you will find fairly wrinkled and stale ones. So, either be extremely careful when purchasing, or wait until the summer when local strawberries appear on the shelves.
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Sugar
17:1412IN cold weather I want to warm up with sweet hot tea or a cup of cocoa. And of course, we don’t skimp on sugar for these drinks. However, doctors say that increased consumption sugar reduces immunity, which is why people with a sweet tooth get sick more often. Try replacing your usual refined sugar with honey - it’s both tastier and healthier.
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Watermelon
18:540Now buying a watermelon in winter, as well as other fruits and berries, is no longer a problem. But is it necessary? The striped berries brought from hot countries have a different taste and aroma, and they cost almost as much as an airplane. But hunting is worse than captivity, and if you still decide to buy a watermelon, then take note: the best watermelons in winter are brought to us from Costa Rica.
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Green beans
19:55Green beans have a very delicate taste and a lot of useful properties. However, in the frozen form in which it is sold in winter, it is quite tough and fibrous. In addition, according to Eastern medicine, beans, like other legumes, belong to the category of cooling products, so it is better to refrain from consuming them in winter.
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Cayenne pepper
20:1221It will help clear your stuffy nose, but it will cause a storm in your stomach. Avoid cayenne pepper if you have a cold or flu - it irritates the inflamed mucous membranes of the respiratory tract and increases their swelling. As an alternative to cayenne pepper in winter, ginger is suitable: it relieves nausea and calms the stomach, and warm ginger tea warms you up in January frosts.
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Corn
21:552In winter, fresh corn is extremely difficult to find. But if you do come across it, most likely it is the defrosted remains of last season - such corn is hard, tasteless and there are practically no useful substances left in it. Try replacing corn Brussels sprouts— it can be fried or baked in the oven.
What foods will help strengthen the immune system, at what age can you start giving them and what should not be in a child’s diet in winter - a nutritionist answers these and other questions Elena Golubnichaya.
Elena Golubnichaya (@elena_dietolog) Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
Not many people think about the fact that winter period You need to adjust your diet and, especially, your child’s diet. The way your baby eats directly affects his immunity and development.
When the season changes, a child’s body (and an adult’s too, but not about us today) completely rearranges its work. Winter is no exception, and in order for this “perestroika” to go well, it is necessary to take into account two particularly important aspects of the cold season when compiling a child’s menu.
Firstly, now our kids are especially prone to colds and other diseases. Sometimes a child spends almost the entire winter coughing and sniffling. This is the fault of reduced immunity: a lack of sunlight and a decrease in vitamins in the child’s diet (compared to the summer-autumn months) affect it. Secondly, to keep warm in cold weather, energy is needed, which the body receives mainly from protein foods. To do this, the diet must contain meat, eggs, fish, cheese and cottage cheese.
Meat
During the winter, children should consume meat, fish and seafood in large quantities. They are useful because they contain the necessary vitamins, amino acids, zinc, calcium, and iron. But the meat should not be fatty - turkey, chicken breast and lean beef. Meat can be added to food from the age of eight months.
Of course, you need to start introducing any new product with purees. Older children are advised to cook steam cutlets, meatballs or just boiled pieces of meat.
Fish
Fish protein, due to its amino acid composition, is much better absorbed by the child’s body. Most important useful feature fish dishes- These are the omega-3 fatty acids it contains, which have a positive effect on the development of the nervous system and brain, and help normalize metabolism in the body.
Fish contains a large amount of vitamin A (retinol), which the child’s body needs for hair growth and for good vision. Fish also contains a lot of B vitamins, which help strengthen the child’s immunity, stimulate the liver and strengthen the nervous system. This product is also rich in vitamin PP (niacin), which is necessary for the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
Liver
IN winter time Liver should be included in the child’s diet. This is due to the fact that animal by-products are more nutritious than regular meat.
For example, the liver contains beneficial microelements in much greater quantities than greenhouse vegetables and fruits, so it can fully replace them in the winter. Beef, pork and chicken liver contain a lot of vitamin A.
Just 10 grams of the finished product satisfies the child’s daily need for this vitamin, which is needed for growth, a strong immune system, good vision and mucous membranes.
It is best to give children veal and beef liver, as well as chicken and turkey. The latter is believed to have a less fibrous structure, a more delicate taste, and contains less fat. Pork liver is also very healthy, and its taste is not inferior to other types, but I do not recommend including it in the diet of very young children due to its high fat content. For the same reason, lamb liver is not welcome in the diet of children.
Foie gras goose liver is not suitable for a child at all, since to obtain it, birds are fed high-calorie food, and it turns out to be very fatty. But cod liver is rich in vitamins A and D, and this is its big plus. But there is also a minus: it is too fatty, and besides, it is only available in canned form, so it is not recommended to give cod liver to children under 5 years of age.
Eggs
Another important product in a child’s diet, especially in winter. Egg white contains amino acids that are important for cell growth, increased brain activity, metabolism in general and the formation of strong immunity. A very valuable protein component is lysozyme, which destroys the walls of harmful bacteria and also prevents the development of viruses. The yolk contains saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids that promote child growth, brain cell development, and strengthen hair and nails. Moreover, they are easily absorbed by the child’s body.
But in general, eggs nourish babies with vitamins A, B, D, E, phosphorus, magnesium and iron - they are important for the normal development of the child’s body. Three eggs a week is enough for all the nutritional properties to benefit the normal development of the baby.
Nuts
Walnuts, pistachios, cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts and almonds, as well as sunflower and pumpkin seeds - all of these fruits are an excellent source of energy. The advantage of the protein contained in nuts is the balance of its amino acid composition. The fat contained in nuts contains beneficial acids such as linoleic and linolenic acid. Nuts are rich in phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium, contain vitamins A, B and C, as well as E.
But there is one thing! It is better to introduce whole nuts into a child’s diet no earlier than three years of age. And children over 3 years old can be given 50 grams of nuts and seeds 2 times a week. Under no circumstances should you give your baby raw almonds, peanuts or cashews - these nuts may contain toxic substances. Allergic reactions may appear in the form of skin rashes, sneezing, coughing, disturbances digestive functions. It is worth remembering that if a child has any food allergies, then nuts should also be excluded from the diet.
Legumes
Of all plant products Legumes occupy a leading position in the content of vegetable protein - a nutrient that a growing body so needs. Proteins contain essential amino acids that promote the absorption of minerals and participate in metabolic processes - they can only be consumed by the body with food. Legumes are also characterized by high nutritional value - complex carbohydrates, contained in products, provide a long-lasting feeling of fullness. And the good thing is that they are not stored in fats - carbohydrates are converted into “clean energy”, so necessary in the winter.
Legumes in a baby's diet will become a source of B vitamins - elements necessary for the “stable” functioning of the nervous system and the development of connective and muscle tissues.
Peas, beans and lentils contain many minerals - iron, calcium, manganese. These elements strengthen bones and hair and participate in hematopoiesis. But I don’t recommend giving your baby legume-based meals more than once every 3 days. And this is even provided that the child’s body accepts the product well. You can cook pea or bean soup.
Cereals
Complex carbohydrates should be present in your diet every day. The child's menu should contain whole grain cereals such as buckwheat, Brown rice, oats, pearl barley. Corn, millet, and barley porridges, which are rich in B vitamins, amino acids and microelements, are very useful for the baby. All these cereals contain hard-to-digest carbohydrates that stimulate intestinal function, as well as remove toxins and waste from the body.
Every child should eat porridge for breakfast, to which you can add a piece butter or one teaspoon of vegetable.
And it’s better if the porridge is steamed or cooked in the oven, then it will have a completely different taste than porridge cooked on the stove in the usual way. And you can pour boiling water over buckwheat overnight and leave it wrapped up on the table, and by morning it’s delicious crumbly porridge will be ready.
Dairy
In winter, preference in a child’s menu should be given to fermented milk products, which contain beneficial bacteria that support healthy intestinal microflora - which, in turn, is the key to good immunity. It is best to give children yoghurt and kefir - carefully read the composition so that the product does not contain preservatives or other chemical components.
You can buy a yogurt maker and cook healthy yoghurts at home, that's exactly what I did. My kids enjoy eating homemade yogurt, especially when homemade jam or jam is added to it. Milk fermented with milk fungus will be very useful. It contains not only beneficial bacteria, but also vitamins, polysaccharides, enzymes, microelements - calcium, iron, zinc and others. In this case, it is better not to add to the finished fermented milk product sugar - you can add honey, thawed berries, jam, banana or applesauce.
Persimmon
As I said earlier, it is very important to support the child’s immunity during the cold season. Persimmon will help you with this - it contains a large amount of vitamin C and helps children cope with colds. The natural sugars contained in the fruit (fructose and glucose) increase performance and improve brain activity. The fruit contains vitamins P and A, which normalize blood circulation and strengthen blood vessels.
During the growth of a child, these substances are simply necessary. In addition, persimmon contains calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium. They help strengthen the child’s bones and nervous system, and also improve digestion and remove various unhealthy substances from the body. The fruits also contain iron, manganese, iodine and pectin.
But you shouldn’t introduce persimmons into your baby’s diet too early, as they contain substances that can lead to intestinal obstruction. The optimal age is 2-4 years. If a child has health problems related to digestion, then it is worth delaying the introduction to a new fruit until the age of five. It is by this time that the functioning of the digestive tract and excretory system is fully established.
Carrot
Carrots contain many substances that have beneficial properties. Carotenes have an antioxidant and anticarcinogenic effect, promote healing and cleansing of the body. Pantothenic acid - regulates metabolic processes. Ascorbic acid- has an antioxidant effect, supports immunity. Flavonoids - increase the elasticity of blood vessels, making them stronger. Anthocyanins - provide an antibactericidal effect and enter the body exclusively with foods.
In addition, carrots contain vitamins: thiamine, riboflavin, tocopherol, group “B” and many others. There are also minerals: iodine, iron, manganese, copper, molybdenum and others. Carrots also contain significant amounts of fiber, starch and pectin. It is especially important for babies and preschoolers, since their bodies are just developing, and a lot depends on good nutrition. In winter, there are few vegetables of good composition, without impurities and chemical additives, so carrots, especially if they are grown in their own garden, will be a lifesaver.
In addition to these products, it is very important to add vitamin drinks to children's diet - rosehip decoction, juices (mostly freshly squeezed), weak warm tea with honey and compotes from lingonberries and apples.
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Everyone knows that there are very few benefits from fruits and vegetables “out of season”. Which fruits contain the maximum amount of vitamins and microelements? After all, with the onset of cold weather and an increased risk of catching the flu, we especially need them.
Radish
This root vegetable is rich in vitamin C, which is known to be essential for maintaining normal immunity. In addition, vitamin C helps our skin to be better nourished and remain elastic, and it will come in handy this winter. Another advantage of radish is its color. According to nutritionists, bright colors - even on a plate - help us fight bad mood and depression and thereby avoid increased appetite. As for taste, radishes will add a pleasant tart (or slightly bitter) “zest” to any vegetable dish. It is especially good in salads with sour cream dressing and salt.
Green pea
We are used to thinking of them as a snack or an addition to a salad, but Americans traditionally eat peas as a side dish. And rightly so: it contains a lot of vitamins C, E and K (the latter is needed for normal hematopoiesis and bone health), but few calories. Peas are also rich in iron, phosphorus and potassium, help remove excess fluid from the body, and due to their fiber content, quickly lead to a feeling of fullness.
Zucchini
A 200-gram serving of zucchini contains almost the entire daily dose of vitamins C and K, a lot of fiber and so-called phytonutrients - substances that help remove poisons and metabolic products from our body. Zucchini is also a good diuretic and has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin. At the same time, this is an almost ideal product for diets - 100 grams of zucchini contains about 20 kilocalories, so when cooking, you can safely add vegetable oil, batter, sour cream and, of course, other vegetables to them. Try, for example, frying zucchini in an egg - you will get delicious combination vitamins and plenty of protein.
White cabbage
There’s not that much vitamin C in it (there’s a lot more in broccoli), but there’s more than enough fiber. Thanks to this, cabbage is even called a product with a negative calorie content, that is, the body spends more energy processing it than it receives from consuming it. As for the culinary value of cabbage, it is truly indescribable. The bright taste and juiciness of cabbage allows it to be used for soups, salads (especially with sour cream), stews, hodgepodges, casseroles, cutlets and much more. Fresh cabbage, as a rule, requires fine shredding, but when steamed or stewed, it is good with whole leaves.
Rhubarb
This plant tolerates the climate of harsh Russian winters well, but it rarely appears on our tables. Instead, rhubarb is used as a forage crop, although it has a rather pleasant sour taste and a quite soft structure (the stems of the plant are no tougher than cabbage “veins”). Plus, it contains a lot of calcium - for healthy teeth, nails and bones - and again vitamin C, which we need in winter. It is better to eat rhubarb with sugar or honey; you can add sour cream and nuts to smooth out the acidity. However, the reddish stems can be chewed just as you like.
Artichoke
Canned artichokes are available in stores all year round, while fresh ones are in early spring and late autumn-early winter. The weird appearance of this plant (it looks like a big green pine cone) can be intimidating to novice cooks, but in reality there is nothing scary about it. It is enough to boil a whole artichoke - and the leaves can be eaten just like that, without additives. Artichokes can also be added to rice and vegetable stews, to roast poultry, to soups and casseroles; your dishes will be enriched with vitamin C and folic acid - another “pillar” of strong immunity.
Cranberry
The unpretentious red berry is available for purchase in any form - canned, frozen, fresh - and can also be prepared in any form. It is added to salads (for example, to sea or white cabbage), casseroles, meat dishes, baked goods, and sauces and compotes are made from it. But it is best, of course, to eat it unprocessed: this way it retains all the beneficial substances, which, by the way, prevent the development of irritations and infections, and also increase the level of so-called “good cholesterol”. Most easy recipe from cranberries - a mixture of fresh berries with sugar and soft cottage cheese. Lunch!
Persimmon
Persimmons combine the benefits of the best of vegetables with the rich, fruity sweetness. In addition to vitamin C and fiber, it contains a lot of potassium and magnesium, which are good for the heart, carotene for the eyes and lycopene, which is considered the strongest natural fighter against cancer. You can eat it simply without anything else, as a fruit dressing for green salads and meat stew (for this, persimmons are mashed into a puree), as part of canapés and other snacks, and, of course, in sweet pastries and compotes.
The most interesting are dairy products cocktails with persimmon: in a blender, mix the peeled and pitted fruit with two spoons of ice cream and milk - and get a sweet and healthy drink. By the way, only with milk will your body be able to fully absorb the carotene contained in persimmons.
Chestnuts
These nuts don't appear on food markets for very long - as a rule, they can only be found from October to December, so don't miss your chance. Chestnuts contain a lot of protein and, most importantly, fatty acids, helping the normal functioning of the brain and cardiovascular system. Moreover, some studies have shown that increased consumption of these substances improves the thought process and puts the entire human nervous system in order. And the taste of chestnuts is wonderful - sweetish and slightly oily. But not too sweet, so these nuts are perfect in salads and meat stews, or just as a snack.
Blood oranges
Like any other citrus fruit, blood oranges boast a rich supply of vitamin C and a sweet or sour flavor. In general, they are distinguished from ordinary oranges only by their bright red color, and remember why bright colors are important? Plus, it’s just beautiful - add orange slices and a little freshly squeezed juice to any vegetable salads, meat dishes or fish (you can simply place the slices on a plate with meat). On New Year's table this decoration will come in handy more than ever.
Photo: JOOSEP MARTINSON
Winter is the time when the body needs vitamins. Some take supplements, some simply take more vitamin D, and some take nothing, relying on internal reserves, writes MK Estonia.
But it is believed that no synthetics can replace natural vitamins. Which can only be found in vegetables and fruits. But does it make sense to buy store-bought watermelons in December and hope for their benefits? And what of the assortment currently offered is actually useful?
As doctors say, it always makes sense to rely on fruits and even get real vitamins. You just need to buy fruits that are in season and, of course, ripe. Then there is a chance that the body will receive not a set of fertilizers and chemical protection, but substances that are useful and necessary for health.
It is not customary to talk about age
“You know, this, of course, is just my subjective opinion, but if you want something really healthy and tasty, buy local,” says the doctor. - Just think about where all these wonderful vegetables and fruits come from. How long do they spend on the road? How long have they been sitting on the counter? During these weeks, they lose all the beneficial substances that they contained.”
Second important point, which the doctor draws attention to: growing vegetables and fruits is a serious business. Therefore, tons of fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides are poured onto the fields. To grow better, bigger and bigger. And then all this, in its unripe form, is collected and sent for sale. Green - so that it does not deteriorate along the way and lies on the counter as long as possible, maintaining its presentation. And how many vitamins there are in such unripe food is a big question.
“God forbid you buy, for example, strawberries now,” warns Dr. Adik Levin. - It's the same type. It tastes like plastic. It crunches on your teeth like a cucumber. Just wait until the summer, when our local season begins. It's not much, but it's real! Freeze for the winter and enjoy. There is no need to buy fruits and vegetables whose season has long passed.”
The only trouble is that local stores now only have cabbage, potatoes and rutabaga. And this is not exactly the case when the soul asks for raspberries or, say, plums. But the doctor warns that precisely because of the early harvest and long transportation, there is nothing useful in such bright and beautiful fruits. Therefore, let's still try to choose seasonal fruits, even if they are overseas, but which can now be bought. And at the same time, we’ll find out what beneficial substances can be found in them.
Overseas, eggplant
Mozambique, South Africa, and Peru are the countries where most of our vegetables come from. And if there are almost no delivery issues with “nearby” countries, then overseas fruits seem a little more dubious.
Well, it looks strange - it’s the middle of winter, but here we have watermelons, melons, plums and other exotic things that are best consumed during the season. Then they are the most delicious and healthy. Nowadays they bring to us such out-of-season “semi-finished products” - collected unripe, left to ripen in the store and often spoil very quickly. For example, the same plums or mangoes - ripe and juicy now during the day with fire - cannot be found. Green mango tastes like pine needles (by the way, this is the case when you can eat it even like that, because it contains a huge amount of fiber and starch), but plums are sour and hard.
But in the winter season you can safely buy persimmons, all varieties of citrus fruits, pomegranates, kiwis and avocados. Avocados are generally simple - their season lasts all year round. With year-round availability, we are also lucky in terms of pineapples, pitahayas, and lychees. You should refrain from “summer” fruits. Plums, watermelons, strawberries, melons - all this looks beautiful, but the taste is far from ideal. Well, unless you are lucky to find strawberries from or (season February-April) or the right melon - soft and fragrant. But the chances are slim. What is on the shelves now is purely a picture. You can forget about vitamins here.
Well, we offer you more detailed description seasonal (late autumn-winter) and year-round fruits, which can be found here in more or less edible form: how they are useful, what they should be, where they are imported from, and approximate prices (local supermarkets as of November 30).
Oranges
Season: November to April.
Vitamins: A, B, C in huge quantities, D and PP. Among microelements it is rich in iron and copper. Strengthens the motility of the large intestine.
Countries: The top importing countries are Spain and Israel. This is where the sweetest fruits are grown. Very tasty - the Navel variety (there are its varieties).
Pomelo
Season: January-February. The first fruits that appear in our stores in the fall can be very disappointing - there will be a lot of peel and nuts with unripe pulp.
Vitamins: A huge and very tasty variety of grapefruit. Contains vitamins A, C, B1, B2, B5, minerals: calcium, potassium, iron, phosphorus, sodium.
Countries: Imported from China and . The good thing about the fruit is that it is not too sweet, easy to peel, and can easily replace either breakfast or dinner. Or just have a snack.
Tangerines
Season: November to January.
Vitamins: A, B1, B2, B3, B6, C and E. A huge amount of dietary fiber and minerals.
Countries: Spain. We mainly have a species called “clementine”. It's easy to clean, tasty and cheap, and you can buy it by the box. We come across Maroc, with the familiar black diamond sticker. It is also a tasty variety, but it has a thin peel and is sometimes difficult to peel. But the taste and aroma are amazing.
Grapefruits
Season: Winter is considered the best time.
Vitamins: A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, C and E. Doctors recommend eating half of this fruit daily. And now is the time for them - only in winter you can buy really tasty and healthy grapes.
Countries: Israel, South Africa. Red grapefruits are sweeter than white ones. And in total there are more than 20 varieties.
Persimmon
Season: from October to the end of February.
Vitamins: vitamins A, C, B1, B2, B3. Contains cartoin, iodine, calcium, sodium, magnesium, iron. Very useful for diseases of the cardiovascular system. But this fruit is not suitable for diabetics.
Countries: and Spain. Spanish persimmons are considered one of the most delicious because they are picked when they are already ripe. But at the beginning of the season, the most common thing on the shelves is hard stone, which is impossible to eat - it becomes so sticky in the mouth. Ripe persimmons are soft, juicy and very, very tasty. If the fruit feels hard to the touch, it is better not to buy it. Or let it sit at home for a few days.
A pineapple
Season: all year round, but for some reason they turn out to be the most delicious in winter.
Vitamins: B1, B2, B12, PP, provitamin A, minerals, iron, copper, zinc, calcium, magnesium and iodine. Stimulates digestion, cleanses the intestines, reduces blood viscosity, lowers blood pressure, which prevents the development of atherosclerosis. Attention! This is a very strong allergen, so it should be used with caution.
Vitamins: One pomegranate contains 40% of the daily value of vitamin C. Also vitamins K and B6. Rich in thiamine, niacin, iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc. Recommended for use when hemoglobin levels are low.
Countries: main supplier - . In the markets you can find pomegranates from the Black Sea coast - Turkish, Azerbaijani. All of them are tasty, but it is better to choose fruits with barely dried skin, which slightly hugs the grains. The peel should be bright red - in unripe fruits it is pale, and in overripe ones it is burgundy with dark spots. Large fruits have juicier grains.
Figs
Season: from June to September, but can be found in stores now.
Vitamins: A, B1, B2, PP, E and beta-carotene. Important minerals in figs include iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and sodium. Figs can relieve sore throat and cough, and also act as an antipyretic. It is recommended to consume figs if you are prone to thrombosis, tachycardia, as well as for people suffering from anemia and cardiovascular diseases. Figs help with increased heart rate and bronchial asthma.
Countries: Central Asia, Türkiye
Kiwi
Season: best in winter.
Vitamins: a day's supply of vitamin C in one fruit. Most of the kiwi is water (about 84%). Dietary fiber, nicotinic acid, mono- and disaccharides. Kiwi is low in calories, but very rich in vitamins and beneficial microelements. And the biggest plus is that they are not destroyed during preservation, thanks to the acidity of kiwi. The fruit reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer, improves digestion.
Countries: New Zealand
