The best winter fruits you should eat to stay healthy this season

There's a range of fruits available for the picking this winter season. Here's a rundown of some of the best ones and how they can help keep you healthy.

Some fruits aren't as plentiful during the winter months as the summertime, but here are some delicious citrus and other fruits that are very much in season and packed with vital nutrients we need to stay healthy and strong during the colder times of the year.

Grapefruit

Topping the list of fruits is the sweet and juicy grapefruit. This seasonal fruit ripens in January and is jam-packed with beneficial and protective nutrients and plant compounds which have antioxidant properties,, including lycopene. This means they may help protect cells from the potential damage caused by unstable molecules called free radicals.

All fruits are rich in antioxidants and several decades of dietary research findings suggest that consuming greater amounts of antioxidant-rich foods might help to protect against diseases, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Grapefruit is also a good source of vitamin C, which helps bulk up your immune system, fortify your bones, and heal your injuries faster, as well as beta-carotene, which is converted in the body to vitamin A to support immune system function, skin and vision health, among other things, according to the National Library of Medicine. 

Also, its dietary fiber, called pectin, promotes better digestion, and grapefruit overall is supposed to rev up the metabolism.

Another benefit? Grapefruit contains salicylic acid, which helps break down inorganic calcium in the body and reduce symptoms of arthritis.

Some people may shy away from grapefruit because of its tart and bitterness taste. But there are many inventive ways to prepare and enjoy this nutrient-heavy winter fruit. Recipe ideas abound to take in its nutritious value: citrus rounds of grapefruit and oranges with mint, grapefruit spritzers, or mix it with avocado for a watercress salad, are just some ideas offered by Prevention.

It can also simply be topped with sugar to make it taste a little less acidic. Cottage cheese is also a great topping.  

Pears

A medium pear is a good source of vitamin C. This fruit also packs in some potassium, vitamin K, copper, magnesium and B vitamins, according to the USDA nutrient database. They are an excellent source of fiber, too, which helps keep your gastrointestinal system regular.

Pears, especially those with colorful skins, provide phytonutrients, or natural plant chemicals, like flavonoids. These compounds are known to help keep inflammation low by neutralizing free radicals, which can cause cell damage that in turn can lead to chronic disease such as heart disease and cancer.

And even though pears have some natural sugar, their high fiber content ensures your blood sugar won't go soaring after eating one, which makes them a perfect on-the-go snack for people with diabetes. Plus, their low-glycemic index means you won't be hungry minutes after snacking on one. 

Pomegranates

A goddess among fruit, the pomegranate is not only known for its legendary origins, but its number of health benefits that range from tons of antioxidants to aiding in the prevention of certain cancers. Add pomegranates to your winter diet and enjoy the health benefits and the sweet-sour taste of every scrumptious seed. You can even down a glass of pomegranate juice if you’re on the go this winter.

Pomegranate seeds get their vibrant red hue from polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants. Pomegranate juice contains higher levels of antioxidants than most other fruit juices. It also has three times more antioxidants than red wine and green tea. The antioxidants in pomegranate juice may help remove free radicals, protect cells from damage, and reduce inflammation, according to the NIH.

The juice can help with digestion by reducing inflammation in the gut and improve overall gastrointestinal health. For that reason, it may be beneficial for people with Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and other inflammatory bowel diseases. It can help reduce inflammation throughout the body and prevent oxidative stress and damage, health experts say.

Flavonols in pomegranate juice may even help block the inflammation that contributes to osteoarthritis and cartilage damage.

Also, the juice of a single pomegranate has more than 40 percent of your daily requirement of vitamin C. Vitamin C can be broken down when pasteurized, so opt for homemade or fresh pomegranate juice to get the most of the nutrient. In addition, pomegranate juice is a good source of folate, potassium, and vitamins K and E.

Look for fruit that is firm and has a shiny golden‐red skin. Avoid fruit that looks shriveled or emits a grayish smoke when gently squeezed. 

Oranges

This wouldn’t be a robust list of winter fruits without the orange. You are going to want to make oranges, and any other citrus produce for that matter, your go-to snack food. Oranges, while not necessarily winter crops, are always available and always a good option since they're a vitamin C powerhouse. Vitamin C is a water-soluble antioxidant that prevents cell damage.

Also, certain orange juices are fortified with Vitamin D in addition to the other nutrients you get from straight citrus: Fiber, folic acid, potassium and calcium.

Also good are oranges' cousins mandarin oranges, tangerines, tangelos and clementines - as snacks or in between meals on a regular basis.

Bananas

Extremely cheap and seemingly always in season, bananas are a great source of potassium, a vital mineral and electrolyte in the body that carries small electrical charges that cause nerve cells to send out signals for the heart to beat regularly and muscles to contract.

Potassium is also needed to maintain a healthy balance of water in cells, and offsets the effects of excess dietary sodium, according to Harvard University's School of Public Health. 

Bananas also boast levels of vitamin B-6, which helps fortify and build cells, magnesium, fiber and manganese.

One serving, or one medium ripe banana, provides about 110 calories.

Not fond of bananas? You still reap their health benefits by making a delicious banana smoothie by blending one, any size, with yogurt, some berries, a tablespoon of walnuts or almonds and a splash of orange juice. You can even slice it and pair it with other winter fruits on this list to make a yummy fruit cup.

Cranberries

High in antioxidants and nutrients, cranberries are a rather small food that packs a lot of punch.

You can use the cranberries served during Thanksgiving as a springboard into adding this winter fruit to your diet at least once a week.

Being high in antioxidants, cranberries may assist in the prevention of certain cancers, heart diseases, and inflammation, according to medical experts. In fact, a study found that out of 20 common fruits, cranberries have the highest level of phenols, a type of antioxidant. Other antioxidants contained in cranberries include quercetin, myricetin, peonidin, and ursolic acid.

Like other citrus fruits, they too contain vitamin C, K, and potassium.

Also, cranberries have a rich amount of anthocyanins, compounds that give cranberries their dark red color. Studies have shown that they may have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects. 

Pineapple

Next time you go to the supermarket, try a pineapple, a large tropical fruit with a spiky, tough skin and sweet insides. Pineapple is chock full of vitamin C and manganese, a nutrient that helps in the formation of bones and regulation of blood sugar.

Pineapple is also packed with vitamins, A, B6, E and K, calcium, folate, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium and zinc. In some cultures, pineapple is a medicinal plant. That's because it has a substance called bromelain that may lower inflammation.

At the store, look for a pineapple that's heavy for its size. It should be free of soft spots and dark eyes. A ripe pineapple will smell sweet on its end.

Persimmons

The persimmon is a fruit that might not be on your radar no matter the season, but you’ll want to quickly get acquainted with this superfood fast. This small, tomato-esque fruit is known to aid in maintaining a healthy heart, keep your digestive system working smoothly, and strengthen your eyesight. Not to mention, they are yummy and go well with a lot of recipes.

There are several variations of persimmons that differ in size, flavor, and, of course, color. In the United States, the two you’ll most commonly find in supermarkets are the Asian varieties known as fuyu and hachiya.

When they are ready to eat, their thin skin is a translucent orange and their flesh is runny and gelatinous. Astringent varieties are often used in baking or preserving and can be dried to make the Japanese treat, hoshigaki.

Persimmons are high in important vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, C and B, potassium and manganese. They also contain beneficial plant compounds like tannins and flavonoids. Persimmons are also a good source of thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), folate, magnesium and phosphorus. The colorful fruits are also low in calories and loaded with fiber. Just one persimmon contains over half the recommended intake of vitamin A.

Kiwis

This Chinese gooseberry is a brown, fuzzy, egg-sized fruit with bright green flesh. Kiwis are flavorful, healthy, and unique.

You may know oranges for their vitamin C and bananas for their potassium content, but the kiwi has them beat in both categories as well as providing vitamin E and K on top of it all.

Throw a few of these fuzzy little fruits into your cart to fight off that winter cold. One kiwi provides about 80% of an adult's daily vitamin C requirement, according to Harvard's School of Public Health. It's also a good source of fiber, potassium, and vitamin K.

Although the skin of a kiwi is edible, you may prefer to remove it, or simply cut the fruit in half and scoop out the flesh inside.

You can throw kiwis and any other winter fruit on this list into a blender for a healthy smoothie: Harvard experts also suggest trying a "green" smoothie made with a blend of kiwi, spinach, apple, and pear.

Apples

The old adage “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” is not too far off from the truth. Apples are likened to superfoods as they are filled with so many nutrients it seems impossible that one little fruit could help so much, but it does. It's no wonder there are thousands of varieties available throughout the world, from gala and granny smith to McIntosh and cosmic crisp to golden delicious.

From vitamin B, which maintains red blood cell count, to antioxidants, which help ward off diseases, the apple might just keep you out of the doctor’s office this winter.

Apples are rich in quercetin and pectin, both of which are credited for boosting apples' many health benefits. Quercetin is a flavonoid, a type of naturally occurring plant chemical that has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties,, while pectin is a type of soluble fiber that may help prevent constipation, according to Harvard's School of Public Health.

Eating whole apples is preferred since discarding the skin removes much of the fiber and the majority of flavonoids.

The key, as with anything you eat, is to be well-balanced. Make sure that you are meeting your daily values, starting with this list of fruits, to keep your body strong this winter. Adding any or all winter fruits on this list to your daily diet can have so many health benefits. Before long, your immune system will be fighting off colds like a champ and you’ll feel more fit.

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