Winter fruits are essential for maintaining a healthy diet, but during winter, shoppers tend to purchase vegetables for soups, stews, and casseroles instead. Fruits are frequently left on the shelf, on the counter, in a bowl in the back of the fridge, and out of our diets. While winter vegetables add a certain heartiness to our meals and are also needed for proper nutrition, balancing them is vital to maintaining good health. Here are a few tips on how to shop the best fruits this season.

One small step before we get started: let's go ahead and acknowledge that most of us suffer from sticker shock every time we visit our store's produce aisles. But hold on a minute; citrus fruits, for example, are in season from December through April and are typically less expensive during winter than in any other season. If prices are right, we should be able to balance our diets easily, so check the ads weekly at your local store and be prepared to win!

Citrus fruits are some of the best additions to a well-balanced diet. According to the National Institutes of Health, they have a good amount of vitamin C, potassium, calcium, vitamin B6, magnesium, and so on. They are thought to assist with kidney stones and cancer, lower cholesterol, and increased brain function. Citrus is also low in calories, high in fiber, heart-healthy, and more. 

Citrus fruits include grapefruits, oranges, tangelos, lemons, limes, citrons, yuzu, and pomelos. Other winter fruits include apples, pears, bananas, grapes, pineapples, blueberries, strawberries, cranberries, kumquats, kiwis, pomegranates, and persimmons.

These super healthy foods abound with antioxidants supporting your immune system and overall health. An example of one fruit's benefit is in the pear. The high fiber content in pears slows digestion, which helps regulate blood sugar levels, making pears a perfect treat for people with diabetes. Even better, if you have an allergic reaction or doctor's restriction to citrus (this can be common), you can choose other non-citrus winter fruits instead to maintain your best health.

Always consult your doctor before changing your diet, especially if you are taking medications, pregnant, or nursing. Avoid consuming grapefruit if you suffer from kidney infections or if you are taking statins, calcium channel blockers, blood pressure medications, and other drugs. Your doctor will discuss your best choices. You can never be too careful with your health.

Check out refrigerated and other storage methods to keep your produce fresh for the maximum possible timeframe. When you finish snacking, baking, making smoothies, and mixing salads, don't waste your leftover winter fruits - keep them! With few exceptions, you can keep most fruit long-term by freezing, canning, or dehydrating.

Here's to you and a healthy start to 2024! 

This article first appeared in the Traveler Weekly Newspaper January, 2024