8 Winter Superfoods to Add to Your Grocery Cart
Avoid falling into a food rut this winter with AOL Health’s top winter superfood picks. With an eye towards seasonality and antioxidant content, we’ve rounded up eight cold weather all-stars.
Sweet Potato
According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest this large edible tuber ranks highest in nutritional value of any vegetable. With 6 grams of fiber and just 160 calories, plus vitamins A and C and potassium, it’s no wonder. The sweet potato is among the oldest cultivated vegetables and remains a popular staple throughout the world. Only distantly related to the potato, it packs a much stronger nutritional punch than its pale-hued cousin. The darker skinned variety Americans call a yam is actually a misnomer, having no relation to the tropical root at all. True sweet potatoes are full of fiber, potassium, and vitamins A and C. Bake, roast, steam or mash for an easy weeknight side dish.
Pomegranate
Fondly known as the “jewels of winter”, pomegranates and their juice have been credited with everything from lowering cholesterol to managing type 2 diabetes and helping to fight prostate cancer. The tasty red seeds called arils are a good source of fiber, vitamins B and C, potassium, and polphenols (antioxidants). Munch on the seeds or toss them into salads, grain dishes and yogurt. Drink the juice and you lose the fiber but still get a mega dose of free-radical fighting antioxidants.
Kale
Unlike other delicate leafy greens, kale freezes well and tastes sweeter after frost exposure. It grows so well in winter, one variety was actually named “Hungry Gap” thanks to its ability to thrive during a period when few other vegetables do. Kale is praised for its anti-inflammatory properties and high levels of vitamins A and C, lutein, zeaxanthin, iron, and calcium. Sauté with garlic and olive oil or make kale chips by tossing with olive oil and salt and baking until crisp.
Grapefruit
Sweet and tangy grapefruit will help keep your immune system buzzing long after winter’s last snowfall. One-half cup serving provides 70 percent of your daily vitamin C requirements plus pectin and fiber, both of which will keep you full and regular. Ruby red and pink varieties are also high in lycopene, the same antioxidant that’s in cooked tomatoes and which may help prevent cancer, heart disease and macular degeneration. Slice in half and eat with breakfast or peel a whole grapefruit for an easy on-the-go snack. Or try broiling grapefruit (sprinkled with brown sugar and cinnamon) for a simple, healthy dessert.
Next: The Power of Cranberries
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