Healthy Winter Foods

Many of the foods we enjoy during the warmer months are actually available year-round, but winter offers the perfect opportunity to branch out and experiment with some of the bolder fruits and veggies that hit their peak in the dead of snow season.

* Although not exactly a winter-only food, garlic is so nutritionally important that it should be eaten year-round. In fact, whole books have been devoted to praising the glories of garlic, with particular attention to its long list of sulfur-containing compounds (especially allicin). With studies linking it to the prevention of cancer and heart disease, as well as suggesting it has anti-inflammatory and even anti-infection properties, garlic is a pungent superfood that should be included in any healthy diet — whatever the season!

* Like onions or garlic, leeks are part of the allium family of vegetables, a family that’s rich in disease-fighting phytonutrients as well as vitamins and minerals. More specifically, leeks are loaded with antioxidant polyphenols like kaempferol that are thought to protect blood vessels. With a healthy complement of vitamins A, B6, C, K, folate and iron, leeks rival other allium family members in nutrient content. But the good news doesn’t end there: Studies have linked high allium intake with a lower risk of colon and prostate cancer.

* sweet potatoes offer all the versatility of white potatoes with incomparable nutritional content. With very few calories and virtually no fat, just one medium sweet potato contains 0.14 ounces of fiber plus 0.07 ounces of vegetable protein. But sweet potatoes also stand out for their vitamin and mineral content. Alongside all that fiber is loads of vitamins A, C and B6, as well as potassium and manganese.

* cabbage particularly the red cabbage is a winter nutrition powerhouse. Packed with vitamins A, B6, C and K, red cabbage is probably best known for its anti-inflammatory action, which is driven primarily by glutamine (an amino acid that’s also thought to boost the immune system) and anthocyanins (the plant pigments that give red cabbage its color).

* Butternut squash is just one of many varieties of winter squashes, but it’s probably the most versatile, offering full-bodied flavor no matter how it’s prepared roasted, toasted, puréed or mashed. Butternut squash is also an excellent source of vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant that may help ward off heart disease and certain cancers.