This plenty to look forward to come winter time, the holiday season is upon us, it’s plenty of apple picking to be done, hot chocolate is in season and is time again to go snowboarding and skiing. While winter does have a lot going for it one of the things it is definitely lacking is a decent variety in the availability of fruits and vegetables.

While fresh produce is definitely much more scarce this time of year doesn’t mean that you have to resort to eating primarily root vegetables and whenever else you have canned prior to the start of the season.

Ultimate Cool Climate Produce You Want to Look for This Winter

1-Winter Squash

Winter squash is typically a food that is easily overlooked here, as people tend to use these types of gourds more so for decoration than they do culinary practices. Not only can they be used for cooking, these foods taste great and are relieved rich in flavor.

Winter squash is also chock full of nutrition, especially when it comes to carotenoids, vitamin A and potassium. These are especially important when it comes to the health of our cardiovascular system, as potassium helps to regulate a calcium in our blood which is a major culprit for those of us who have high blood pressure.

The carotenoids and vitamin A on the other hand are important in that they are strong anti-oxidants in help to neutralize free radicals within the system. Free radicals are responsible for a host of negative health implications such as increased instances of inflammation which is linked to virtually every form of disease we suffer from.

2-Beets

Beets are another other food you should look to include in your diet this winter, and the more rich the color the better. This is because these dark red colors that beets are known for are an indication of the anti-oxidant composition of this root vegetable.

Beets are specially rich in vitamins and also are rich in a wide variety of these vitamins. For this reason beets are a staple winter vegetable in many diets, as eating them regularly can help a person make up the difference in all of the vitamins and minerals there otherwise lacking in their diet.

The peak season for beets are in early to late fall, so make sure to pick some up on your next trip to the grocery store.

3-Carrots

Carrots are extremely rich in anti-oxidants, particular carotenoids from which it gets its name. This is especially the case for beta-carotene, the anti-oxidant that gives carrots their distinguishable orange color.

This nutrient is essential for a healthy immune system and in the maintenance of our eyesight. These vegetables are also loaded with other anti-oxidants such as vitamin C, cyanidins and lutein. Eating a diet rich in anti-oxidants is a great way to provide your body with the necessary tools it needs to fight off various forms of disease, especially in the case of cancer.

Another great aspect of carrots is that their peak season begins in mid to late fall, and you can find them readily available throughout the entire season of winter.

4-Sweet Potatoes

When it comes to potatoes, people generally consider them to be healthy food however they fall short in one major area. That being that most Fridays of potatoes have an extremely high glycemic index, meaning that they not the best food choices for people who are diabetic or for people who are looking to avoid getting diabetes.

With that being said in the case of sweet potatoes they aren’t that high on the glycemic index and can be used as a great alternative of other varieties of potatoes.

Potatoes are also loaded with fiber, beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium and other antioxidants. There also a great source of complex carbohydrates as well, which allows them to both adequate the fill you up at the same time provide you with steady supply of energy throughout the day.

Another benefit to sweet potatoes is that they are available pretty much all year round, although their peak season occurs in late fall to early winter.

Sweet potatoes are also extremely easy to store, as they can be pretty much stored anywhere as long as it is an a dry and cool place. This means pretty much anywhere outside of putting them in the freezer or fridge is a good place to store them.