Nutritionist and health experts often stress the importance of foods that keep you warm or immunity-boosting foods to ward off a cough and flu during the cold and chilly winter months. However, if we look at things from the reverse perspective we will realize that there are certain foods which we need to avoid in order for the precautionary measures that we take to have its full effect. Often certain green vegetables and fruits are available all year round but we should be careful about choosing the right one for you.
Out-of-season produce
Some apparently “fresh” produce may be coming all the way from a far-fetched country like South America or China and may not be actually fresh as the time taken in transport is not very beneficial for your health and taste buds after all. The nutritional content of the grocery is also drastically lowered as the gap between harvesting and consuming is increased.
Farms in different parts of the world with varying climates produce fruits and vegetables as per their climatic conditions throughout the year. However, it might not always suit your needs and the shipment period breaks down the sugar contained in them, decreasing their taste even. It also seems to lose out on their minerals and vitamin content than the vegetables that are in season.
The solution to this dilemma is not to shift to overloading your vegetables with hot white sauce or cheese to give it flavor. You need to be determined to keep your diet healthy and keep in mind that dairy-heavy foods or foods high in sugar or spice content are largely responsible for winter illnesses.
The most common mistake that we make during winter is that we tend to switch to high-carb foods. Springing from this fact is the need to incorporate daily exercise into your routine to keep you active during winters and prevent you from hoarding calories in the lazy winter months.
Following are the foods you should avoid in winters:
- Asparagus
The vegetable Asparagus is no doubt available throughout the year but it tastes best when the stalks are firm and upright. It is highly likely the Asparagus you get in winters is most probably shipped from elsewhere and is most likely to be devoid of the nutrients and quality taste and woody and limp in comparison to the original plant.
A healthy alternative would be Brussel sprouts as it is believed to belong to the cancer-fighting vegetable family. It is also loaded with Vitamin C and K that you desperately need in winters.
- Bagged Greens
Why do you think these green veggies stay so fresh when bagged? The process to increase the shelf-life of these pre-washed and pre-chopped veggies deprives them of its main constituent Vitamin C. Opt for kale instead.
- Fresh Peas
Winter is not the ideal time to include green peas in your diet as they are most likely to be actually fresh during spring. Having them in winter months would be equal to starch intake rather than savoring their naturally sweet flavor.
You can use frozen shelled edamame as it is also believed to lower cholesterol levels.
- Yellow Wax Beans
You are highly likely to end up having beans that are tough, chewy and fibrous and can be quite an unpleasant experience for your taste buds until you are eating the ones that are in season. Trying Fava beans instead can be a great seasonal winter vegetable dish. Couple them with artichokes for great taste.
- Cayenne Pepper
Foods taste spicier in winters but are often for to clear sinus passages. However, for people with a weak gut should be highly cautious as it can greatly upset the internal mechanisms of your digestive system.
Resorting to ginger as it is a traditional medicinal herb will cure your rumbling and upset stomach. The sharp tinge of ginger is really good for seasoning and also boosts immunity.
- Corn on the cob
Steamed soft corn on the cob can be a delight in winters but again it is not recommended that one opts for it as there are supposed to be dominating the summer seasons. The sweet taste of corn is best in summers and often in winters it is converted to starch while being shipped from Mexico.
Frozen corn kernels are a much better option and should definitely be opted for if you get the thoughts of munching on corn chips.
- Tomatoes
Red tomatoes are ripe and fresh in late summers and feel great to savor because they are exploding with wholesomeness and juicy goodness. However, you do not want your taste buds to experience a turn off by eating mushy tomatoes that destroy the whole purpose of including tomatoes in your diet. What you can do is switch to canned tomato puree and not buy those which have salt additives in them.
- Peaches
Peaches are sweet and delicious but mind it, only in summers as their prime season seems to wear off just after August. If you spot your favorite peaches in winter it is most likely that they have been shipped from Mexico and we have already established the drawbacks of that.
Apple varieties are abundant in winters and you can always have an apple instead of peach to satisfy your taste buds.
- Blueberries
Berries taste best when ripe and that is often the case in summers. Nothing can replace the wholesomeness and naturalness of freshly picked berries. In winters they are often the lot that has been refrigerated which inevitably undermines the Vitamin C contained in them. Frozen blueberries are believed to be equally nutrition providing as fresh ones and are also known to contain antioxidants that fight off diseases.
- Halibut
Did you know that fish is seasonal too? Having fish which is out of season can be detrimental to your health. Halibut is one category of fish that is out of season during winters and it is preferable that you buy the wild type.
A scrumptious alternative is sea scallops that can make up an ideal and healthy seafood dish. Farm-raised sorts are quite surplus and easily purchasable.
Make healthy food choices and spread cheer this holiday season instead of the flu.
