Winter Fruit to Keep You Healthy

By: The Hale Groves Team | On: January 17, 2022 | Category: Healthy Eating

If you’ve ever ordered fruit baskets online – or had a fruit basket sent to you by a loved one – you know that fruit season doesn’t end with summertime. Far from it, in fact – in addition to winter citrus, there’s a wide variety of fruits available in the winter, and they’re all super-important when it comes to keeping away coughs and colds.

You probably already know how important vitamin C is when it comes to the immune system, but you may not know why – according to Harvard Health Publishing, vitamin C helps the body produce white blood cells, which attack foreign invaders like viruses and bacteria. And while vitamin C may not always help you prevent getting a cold, it can help keep that cold from escalating into bronchitis or pneumonia, as well as shorten the duration of your illness. In fact, studies show that vitamin C may even help reduce the mortality rate and speed up recover from people infect with the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

4 Winter Fruits That Help You Stay Well

Fruit is a powerful tool to boost your immune system and keep it strong all year long. So instead of stressing about the prospect of getting sick, make these four fruits to your diet, and you can rest easier knowing you’re giving your body the tools it needs to stay healthy:

Oranges. Florida oranges are probably the first fruit that comes to mind when thinking about warding off colds, and no wonder – according to the USDA, one orange contains nearly 82 mg of immune-boosting vitamin C. Fresh oranges are also a great source of fiber (which you won’t get from orange juice, so be sure to eat the whole fruit). Received a box or oranges for Christmas and feel like trying something different? No problem – you can get a similar nutritional boost from Tangerines, Mandarins, Honeybells, Sumo Citrus, Gold Nuggets and other orange citrus treats!

Grapefruit. Like oranges, grapefruits are another excellent source of vitamin C — just half a raw grapefruit (a wonderful breakfast food) contains 43.7 mg, according to the USDA. Red grapefruit (like best-selling Hale Groves Ruby Red Grapefruit) also contains lycopene, which has antioxidant properties and may play a role in helping to reduce the risk of certain types of cancer. Grapefruit is also a good source of vitamin A, which supports your immune system as well as your eyesight. How in calories and high in water content, grapefruit is a wonderfully hydrating food, which – along with the fiber found in the fruit – helps you feel full.

Apples. An apple a day really can keep the doctor away! Apples are great sources of fiber and natural sugars. And don’t skip the skins if you can help it – apple skins contain quercetin, a type of plant pigment flavonoid that helps boost your immune system and reduce inflammation. Make sure to keep eat your apples with the peel so you can get the benefit of all its phytonutrients.

Pears. There’s nothing like a juicy fresh pear! Does their inclusion on this list surprise you? It shouldn’t – while vitamin C-rich citrus fruits may be a highlight in the winter, they’re not the only nutritious fruits the season has to offer! According to the USDA, one pear provides more than five grams of fiber, a nutrient important to the immune system because it encourages good bacteria to flourish. The more fiber you take in during the winter months, the more immune cells you increase. Also, high-fiber foods like pears help support a healthy weight by helping you feel full longer and cutting down on overeating. In addition to fiber, pears are good sources of vitamin C and potassium. Premium pears also contain anti-inflammatory flavonoids in their peels, so make sure you eat the skin for an extra boost of nutrients!

To Sum Up

Now that you know what they can do for you, be sure to include these delicious winter fruits in your diet often. Not only will they be a boon towards helping support your immune system – they’ll also help you maintain a healthy weight when the warm weather returns!

• Hale Groves Winter Citrus Guide: Oranges
• Send Some Sunshine to Relatives in Cold Climates this Winter
• Florida Oranges Have the Nutrients to Keep you Healthy This Winter
• Lose Those Winter Pounds by Eating Honeybells

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