In winter, certain nutrient-rich vegetables should be favored. Dr Arnaud Cocaul, nutritionist, lists those to know.
Cold, germs, fatigue… The body is put to the test during winter. Making wise food choices then becomes necessary to boost your immune system. However, seasonal vegetables prove to be valuable health allies.
Seasonal vegetables should be favored
Should we remember it? Artificially ripened vegetables are usually full of pesticides.
Raised in greenhouses – in Spain, Morocco or on the other side of the world – then harvested before maturity and transported by truck, they lack taste, but also nutrients.
Tomatoes that grow in winter would thus display half the vitamin C content of a summer tomato, but also less sugars and polyphenols – antioxidants which fight against free radicals and cellular aging.
“These are tomatoes that have been in transit and which turn out to be full of pesticides. So of course, we can consume them once in a while for pleasure, but from a health point of view, they offer no advantage.” confirms Dr Arnaud Cocaul.
What vegetables to eat during winter?
Dr Arnaud Cocaul recommends buying the following vegetables:
- Squash;
- Carrots ;
- The whole cabbage family;
- Zucchinis ;
- Endives ;
- Spinach ;
- Mushroom ;
- Salads (seasonal, such as lamb’s lettuce, frisée, etc.)
- Parsnips.
“Certainly, we are a little more limited than in summer and vegetables turn out to be less rich in vitamins. But they contain a lot of fiber and very interesting elements from a nutritional point of view. You can opt for salads, as an accompaniment to all meals, or even for a good soup. Cream soups are a good way to eat vegetables!“, recalls the nutritionist doctor.
You now have all the keys in hand to eat seasonal vegetables… as much as you want!