Winter Superfoods Get Their Long-Awaited Due

Megan O. Steintrager

Spring has asparagus and fresh herbs, summer has berries and tomatoes, fall has grapes, kale, apples, and pomegranates, but the near-barren farmer’s markets of winter don’t exactly scream “superfood!” But there are plenty of superfoods available in winter, and, no, you don’t have to mail-order them or even go to a specialty store. Here are some of my favorites, below. See Epi’s Farm-to-Table guide for more on winter produce.

Avocados: Loaded with healthy fats and fiber and possessing anti-inflammatory properties, avocados are great for the whole body, especially the heart.

Beans: Cheap, tasty, and satisfying, beans topped our list of Surprising Superfoods. Of course dried and canned beans are available year-round, but chili and bean soup are especially nice in winter.

Pineapples: Like another winter winner, citrus fruit, pineapples are an excellent source of vitamin C. They also contain the essential trace mineral manganese and the enzyme bromelain, which may help with digestion and fight inflammation.

Purple Potatoes: Colorful little spuds made our list of Stress-Busting Foods thanks to their balance of happiness-boosting carbs with fiber and nutrients. All potatoes are a surprisingly good source of vitamin C (as we note in Comfort Food That’s Not Fattening), and purple foods have added benefits thanks in part to their dose of the antioxidant anthocyanin.

Sauerkraut and Kimchi: The Japanese pickled turnip sugaki might be getting all the attention right now, but good old-fashioned sauerkraut and kimchi are excellent sources of probiotics, the good bugs that can help with digestion and immunity (plus, the cabbage used to make these fermented treats is a great source of vitamin C). Sauerkraut even made a Men’s Fitness list of Next Year’s Superfoods, where it shared space with obscure and exotic picks like sacha inchi, hemp hearts, and manuka honey. Check your farmer’s market or grocery store for unpasteurized ‘kraut and kimchi eat it unheated or only gently heated, since high temperatures can kill the good bugs. 

See more from Epicurious:
Foods That Are Keeping You Up at Night 
Quick and Easy Dinners
5 Foods That WON’T Kill You